I-57 bridges being replaced next year

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission gave the go-ahead Thursday to replace the northbound and southbound bridges over North Cut Ditch on Interstate 57 near Sikeston.

The bridges are a half-mile east of Interstate 55. Both will be replaced for $2,379,861 by Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Work is expected to begin early next year with a completion date estimated for December 2006. Engineer Eric Krapf said contractors won't take the usual approach to rerouting traffic during the project.

Instead of diverting traffic in two lanes over the southbound bridge while the new northbound bridge is constructed, and vice versa, contractors will begin the project by building a temporary bridge in the median.

While each side of the interstate is worked on separately, both lanes of traffic will be diverted over the two-lane temporary bridge. Krapf said the reason is the bridges' proximity to the I-55/I-57/Route 60 interchange.

"With the interchange traffic you're having to deal with, you would essentially have to merge three lanes into one lane rather quickly," Krapf said. Instead of three lanes to one, the temporary bridge will allow for three lanes to go into two.

Krapf said some alternative routes are available for drivers hoping to avoid construction; they can call (888) ASK-MODOT.