The Grand Bridge in St. Louis. Photo credit: Still from Fox 2 footageThe Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) began work on one of two major road construction projects planned for St. Louis in June, Fox 2 News reports.
On June 2, the agency began removing the Grand Bridge over Interstate 44. Crews will demolish and rebuild the bridge in two halves so that Grand can remain open to traffic. One lane in each direction will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for removal of medians.
Beginning June 17, both Grand and Interstate 44 will be closed for the weekend as demolition of the bridge begins. The project is not expected to be competed until December.
A second project, set to begin in July or August, will raise a section of Forest Park Avenue that runs under the bridge at Kingshighway to meet the level of Kingshighway and turn it into a four way intersection.
The news agency reports that the new intersection will allow drivers headed east on Forest Park Avenue to exit and head south toward Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals without having to cross five lanes of traffic immediately at the end of the ramp to Kingshighway. BJC and Washington University are paying the $10 million cost of the project, which will take 12 to 14 months to complete.
