Interstate 57 bridge repairs will send drivers miles out of their way

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- The closure of a second bridge over the Mississippi River in Southeast Missouri will force some in Mississippi County to travel roughly twice the distance they previously had to drive to reach land on the east side of the river.

The Interstate 57 bridge, which spans the Mississippi River from Missouri to Illinois, is expected to close for three days starting Aug. 16, forcing motorists to use detours. The alternate bridge on U.S. 62, which closed in November due to improper use by heavy trucks, won't reopen until December.

Illinois Department of Transportation construction engineer Keith Roberts said the bridge will be closed to repair structural damage found during a routine inspection.

"Last year we discovered a crack in one of the bridge's upper vertical truss members," Roberts said. "It wasn't bad, but we've been monitoring it to make sure it wasn't getting worse."

IDOT set up plans for repairs after the damage was discovered.

Farmer Mike Renaud uses the I-57 bridge daily to travel from his home in Charleston, Mo., to his farm in Olive Branch, Ill., and said the bridge closure will double the time of his trip.

"It's just going to be a huge inconvenience," Renaud said. "The trip usually takes me about 25 minutes. With the I-57 bridge being closed, I'll have to drive up to Cape Girardeau to cross the river. That extra trip will add about 30 to 40 minutes each way."

Charleston resident Donny DeLine, owner of DeLine Farms Partnership, said the situation is made worse by the fact that the old U.S. 62 bridge has been closed since last November.

"Not having the old bridge at Highway 62 will really put us in a bind," DeLine said. "We'll have to go in and out of Cape. Our crops are planted right now, but we still have to get sprayers and equipment over there. We'll have to use the Emerson Bridge, since the old bridge at Highway 62 has been shut down."

Trucking companies in Sikeston, Mo., said the closures would not really affect their businesses.

Roberts said more than 10,000 motorists use the I-57 bridge daily. With the bridge closed, they will be added to the daily traffic on alternate routes, making it important for motorists to plan detours ahead of time to avoid major delays.

"We really need to get word out to the public about the bridge closing now," Roberts said. "What we're trying to convey to people is that the detour is not truck-friendly. It includes a four-way stop and it's out of the way. The detour will also be very congested, so we need people to try and find alternate routes if possible."

The detour for northbound traffic is I-55, Highway 74, Illinois Highway 146 and Illinois Highway 3 to I-57. For southbound traffic, the detour is exit 1 onto Illinois Highway 3, Illinois Highway 146, Missouri Highway 74 and Interstate 55.

For more information, visit http://www.dot.state.il.us or call 217-782-7820.

ssemmler@semissourian.com

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