PROJECTS TO DELAY TRAFFIC

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Department has awarded a $319,000 contract to a Jackson contractor for bridge joint repair and overlay work on several Southeast Missouri bridges later this summer.

Some work on Interstate 55 bridges may result in delays to motorists, the department said.

Meanwhile, the highway department says Southeast Missouri motorists traveling to the St. Louis area may experience delays from a number of bridge repair projects under way in Jefferson County.

Highway officials suggest those driving into St. Louis from the Cape Girardeau area should consider two detours to avoid traffic congestion and delays on I-55 while work continues between the I-55/Highway 61-67 interchange at Crystal City and the I-55 Imperial-Kimmswick interchange.

Bob Simpson, District 10 construction engineer at Sikeston, said a bridge repair contract was awarded earlier this month to Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson for work at the following locations:

-- The Hubble Creek Bridge on Highway 61 (North Hope Street) in Jackson, near the main city park.

-- The Castor River Bridge on Route 72, east of Fredericktown.

-- The Interstate 55 bridges over Saline Creek in northern Perry County.

-- The Route NN bridge over I-55 in northern Perry County.

-- The Route T bridge over I-55 near Perryville.

"These repairs will extend the life and improve the structural integrity of the bridges," said Simpson. "Construction work could begin in July and should be completed later this summer. When the work begins, motorists can expect short delays when approaching and crossing these bridges as traffic will at times be reduced to single lanes.

"We ask motorists to observe speed limits and watch out for workers and equipment as they approach the construction sites. Signs warning of the construction work and any lane closures will be posted."

Al Kladiva, District 6 construction engineer at Chesterfield, said the bridge work under way between Crystal City and the Imperial-Kimmswick interchange should be completed by mid- to late June. He said two serious traffic bottlenecks are occurring during the non-rush hour periods and on weekends.

The first is the Route Z overpass on I-55, at the Pevely interchange, where traffic has been reduced from two lanes to one lane in both the northbound and southbound lanes.

The other is the southbound I-55 bridge over the Burlington Northern Railroad track, located one mile north of the Route A/I-55 interchange at Festus.

At both locations, concrete barriers funnel two lanes of traffic into one as the traffic reaches the twin bridges. "There is heavy traffic congestion at non-rush hour times at both of these locations, particularly at the railroad overpass bridge, which causes traffic to back up as they approach the bridge," said Kladiva. "To avoid delays, we suggest motorists traveling to St. Louis on I-55 from the Cape Girardeau area and Southeast Missouri consider two detours.

"The first is to get off northbound I-55 at the I-55/Highway 61-67 exit at Crystal City, and take Highway 61-67, north, through Crystal City-Festus, Herculaneum, Pevely, and Barnhart, and get back on I-55 at the Imperial-Kimmswick interchange.

"Another way to detour around the work is to get off northbound I-55 at the Route A/I-55 interchange at Festus and go west to Highway 21, turn north on Highway 21 to Route M at Antonia, then east back to I-55 at the Antonia-Barnhart I-55 interchange."

Kladiva urged motorists to watch for warning signs of construction and the lane closures near the bridge.

"As soon as this work is completed, the contractor will be moving south to two locations on I-55," he added. "The first is a bridge just south of Crystal City; the other is a bridge at the Ste. Genevieve-Perry County line. We expect work will begin at those locations in late June and continue for at least 25 days."

Kladiva said another long-term construction site on I-55 that will create congestion and reduce speed is between the I-55/Highway 141 interchange at Arnold and the Meramec River Bottoms Road interchange. Work is under way to widen the Meramec River bridge and add an extra traffic lane.

The other long-term construction project that's causing traffic congestion -- and where motorists should exercise extreme caution -- is the massive I-55/I-270 interchange project.

Kladiva said northbound motorists who are turning onto I-270 from northbound I-55 should be aware of the 30 mph speed limit due to the very sharp curve at the temporary on-ramp.