Center Junction work remains ahead of schedule

Work on the new diverging diamond interchange at the junction of U.S. 61 and Interstate 55 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, commonly referred to as Center Junction, continues to run well ahead of schedule.

The original timeline for the $17.4 million project targeted a November completion date. However, the project manager with general contractor Penzel Construction Co. says work should be finished at least a month before that.

"Unless something goes haywire, we should be looking at (completion by) the middle of September," Howard Hemmann said Monday.

The project includes replacement of both northbound and southbound I-55 bridges over U.S. 61 and redesign of the interchange below the bridges. The new southbound bridge was completed several months ago and currently carries northbound and southbound traffic.

Meanwhile, work continues on the new northbound bridge.

"We have all the bridge beams set and we hope to pour the deck sometime around the Fourth of July," Hemmann said.

Weather permitting, the southbound on-ramp between U.S. 61 and I-55 will be closed next week to allow for pavement work.

"We have to do some repairs to the concrete sections along the ramp," Hemmann explained.

The ramp will close at 5 a.m. Monday and remain closed until 6 p.m. June 25, although Hemmann said it could reopen earlier that afternoon.

Between now and September, crews will be completing some sections of pavement, installing overhead and shoulder signage, testing traffic signals, diamond grinding and striping the roadway, and some landscaping.

A sidewalk will also be constructed along the interchange, which will be part of a future walking/jogging trail.

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