Commuters in Jefferson City, take note: right-turn lanes on sections of U.S. Route 50, famously known as Whitton Expressway, will be intermittently closing starting this upcoming Monday, Nov. 6. These closures are part of a broader effort by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to enhance pedestrian facilities, which will continue into December. You'll want to plan accordingly as these closures could impact your daily drives.
The targeted improvements will be conducted at key intersections including Broadway Street, Jefferson Street, Madison Street, and Monroe Street. Crews will mainly operate between the morning and evening rush hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MoDOT anticipates that while all through lanes will stay open, certain turn restrictions will need to be enforced to justly accommodate ongoing construction. According to a press release by the MoDOT, some specific closures include the Broadway Street right-turn lane to westbound U.S. Route 50 as well as the westbound right-turn lanes to both Broadway Street and Monroe Street.
Weather, as it so often does, plays a factor in the construction schedule. Should conditions fall short of workable, the schedule is subject to change. However, MoDOT's drive towards compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is clear, with a focus set on sidewalks, curb ramps, and pavement approaches.\
Last June, MoDOT awarded a $1.29 million contract to Concrete Solution LLC to complete these upgrades. “All work is weather-permitting, and schedules are subject to change,” the department stated in its announcement. With a target completion date of Dec. 15, there’s hope that these temporary inconveniences will result in a safer and more accessible Whitton Expressway for both pedestrians and motorists. MoDOT is asking drivers “to work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, obeying all traffic signs, and slowing down and moving over in work zones.”
