MoDOT to close I-44 near I-270 Aug. 2-5 to set Watson bridge girders

ST. LOUIS – Drivers who use I-44 for weekend travel will want to consider alternate routes August 2-5, as MoDOT will close the interstate to set girders for the new westbound Watson Road bridge over I-44.
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Crews will close all lanes of eastbound and westbound I-44 between I-270 and Geyer Road starting at 7 p.m. Friday, August 2, with all lanes closed by 8 p.m.

During the interstate closure, drivers will still be able to get from I-44 to I-270 in both directions, as well as to eastbound Watson Road (Route 366).  Eastbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue east on I-44 can take exit 277A to Watson Road, turn onto Lindbergh, and take Lindbergh back to eastbound I-44. Westbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue west on I-44 will need to take the I-270 exit (exit 276) and use the westbound I-44 ramp (after the bridge) to continue on westbound I-44 during the closure. These detours are similar to the ones used during the bridge demolition after Memorial Day.

All I-44 lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, August 5.

This is the first of two weekend I-44 closures. Crews will close westbound I-44 the following weekend between Geyer Road and I-270 at 7 p.m. Friday, August 9. Crews will be placing deck panels on the bridge over the westbound lanes. Westbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue west on I-44 will need to take the I-270 exit (exit 276) and use the westbound I-44 ramp (after the bridge) to continue on westbound I-44 during the closure. All westbound lanes are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, August 12.

The westbound Watson Road bridge is scheduled to remain closed until November 2019. While the bridge is closed, Watson Road drivers can use Lindbergh to access westbound I-44 and northbound and southbound I-270.

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