Highway 40 Closes Jan. 2; All Lanes Closed From Ballas to I-170 for 1 Year

On Wednesday, Jan. 2, MoDOT and its contractor, Gateway Constructors, will close I-64 (Highway 40) from Ballas Road to I-170 before morning rush hour. All lanes of I-64 in this 5-mile section will be closed for the entire calendar year of 2008.

“Motorists need to prepare to use other roads and means of getting to work on the first day after the holidays,” said MoDOT District Engineer Ed Hassinger. The closure is expected to have a big impact on Interstates 170, 270 and I-55 and 70. Thus, the closure will effect the entire region, but just how much it will change traffic patterns in North County is unsure, but there will be noticeable differences.

“MoDOT, Gateway Constructors, and our regional partners with the County, City and Metro are ready to handle the regional traffic changes that will happen in January. There will be significant delays if people do not change their commuting times and habits.” MoDOT has issued more advisories in recent days, after learning that some people were not aware of the stretch of the closures.

At the west end of the closure, eastbound I-64 will be diverted to north or southbound I-270 with one lane open to Ballas Road. Westbound I-64 will have one lane open from Ballas Road and the ramps from north and southbound I-270.

At the east end of the closure, westbound I-64 will have one lane exit only to Hanley Road and two lanes exit only to northbound I-170. Southbound I-170 will have one lane exit only to Eager Road and two lanes exit only to eastbound I-64. Northbound I-170 will have one lane from Eager Road. There will be no access on or off I-64 at Brentwood.

Beginning Dec. 26, various lanes will be closed on I-64 to make striping and signing changes to prepare for the complete closure on Jan. 2. After the road closes Jan. 2, crews will immediately begin demolition activities.

Major demolition work is scheduled for Lindbergh, Clayton/Warson and Brentwood during the month of January.

MoDOT will hosts open house meetings Nov. 14 and 15 to learn about the details on the closures and the activities planned for 2008. The meetings will be as follows:

Nov. 14, from 5-8 p.m. at MoDOT’s Transportation Management Center, 14301 South Outer Forty Drive, at the I-64 and Route 141 interchange.

Nov. 15, from 4-7 p.m. at Clayton High School Commons Area, 1 Mark Twain Circle in Clayton

The I-64 reconstruction project is a $535 million project to reconstruct nearly 10 miles of I-64 from west of Spoede Road in St. Louis County to east of Kingshighway in St. Louis City. For more information, visit the project website at http://www.thenewi64.org/.
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