I-55 to close overnight Wednesday for bridge repairs

Emergency repairs to the Interstate 55 bridge over U.S. 61 at Center Junction will require overnight closure of the interstate starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting.

The southbound I-55 bridge was recently dismantled as part of the Missouri Department of Transportation's bridge replacement and interchange redesign project. As a result of the southbound bridge removal, the northbound bridge is being used for both northbound and southbound traffic.

Closing the interstate will allow work crews to make emergency pothole repairs on the bridge. MoDOT expects to reopen the interstate by 6 a.m. Thursday.

Detours will be set up to redirect I-55 traffic away from the work zone. However, the southbound on-ramp at Exit 99 will remain open during the bridge repairs.

The detour for southbound traffic will be at the Fruitland exit (Exit 105) south to Jackson Boulevard then east to I-55 at Exit 99.

Northbound I-55 traffic will be detoured at Exit 96 (Route K/William Street), west to Route 25 and then north along U.S. 61 to the Fruitland exit at Exit 105.