Contract for U.S. 67 South project in Butler County let

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has awarded a $17,394,655 contract to Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for improvements to U.S. 67 South in Poplar Bluff.

The project will include the upgrade of U.S. 67 to four lanes from south of Route M to south of U.S. 160. When completed, the improvements will provide a four-lane highway from U.S. 160 in Poplar Bluff to St. Louis, in addition to strengthening the connection from U.S. 160 to U.S. 60.

Construction is expected to begin as early as this summer and to be completed by the summer of 2014. As construction is underway, most of the work will be done off of the existing right of way and will not affect traffic. There will be short-term closures on Highway 158 as the interchange is constructed. Traffic will also use temporary bypasses as the new alignment is tied into the existing pavement.

In addition to upgrading U.S. 67, two bridges on that road near Neelyville, Mo., will be replaced with box culverts in a separate project.

For more information, contact project manager Eric Krapf at 573-472-5261, resident engineer Audie Pulliam at 573-840-9781 or MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636.