Last year, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced that during construction on Interstate 55, the contractor damaged support beams on the bridge beyond repair. Now, they have come to an agreement on how to fix the bridge.
On Monday, an agreement was reached between MoDOT and KCI Construction. KCI Construction will replace the girders and bearings on the Union Pacific Railroad bridge. KCI is responsible for costs of the work.
KCI will also pay for an additional crossover south of the bridge so crews can complete work on the southbound I-55 bridge.
MoDOT said in a news release Monday that crews have removed the damaged girders from the northbound I-55 bridge and are waiting for the new girders and bearings. They will be delivered this fall.
Crews continue to work on the southbound I-55 bridge over the River Des Peres and have recently began working on the southbound I-55 bridges over Green Park Road and Gravois Creek.
MoDOT expects the bridge work to be complete in fall 2025 with resurfacing of I-55 to continue into 2026.
“Our priority at this time is to continue to work with the contractor to get the road construction completed and the roadway reopened to traffic,” said Tom Blair, MoDOT St. Louis district engineer.
This bridge work is part of a bigger project with 26 bridges along I-55 being rehabilitated. It costs over $60 million.
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Source: KTVI, Biz Journals, MoDOT