Interstate 70 travelers should prepare for slower commute times west of Columbia throughout the weekend as the demolition of Sorrels Overpass begins Friday night.
Crews will work to demolish the overpass, located at mile marker 122, starting at 9 p.m. on Friday through 5 a.m. on Monday.
"During that time we do expect to have lane closures," Machelle Watkins, district engineer for MoDOT, said. "And at times what we call rolling road blocks where traffic will be significantly delayed for periods up to 15 minutes to allow for the removal of some portions of that bridge."
MoDOT said in a press release the closures from the demolition will cause delays throughout the weekend and advises travelers to take alternate routes.
"While we are working to limit traffic impacts as much as possible, drivers will experience slower traffic and longer commutes as they come through the area on I-70," MoDOT Assistant District Engineer Randy Aulbur said.
The demolition process was originally schedule to begin sometime in 2022 but the process was sped up after an October crash on I-70 left the pass severely damaged.
"We had already gone through the planning and design stages," Watkins said. "Even gone as far as to put it out for bidding. And when the bridge was hit, we just accelerated the award of that contract and put in a provision for an early demolition of the bridge."
The contract for the new bridge of $1,038,857 was then awarded to Emery Sapps and Sons, Inc.
Watkins said the funds come from the construction program budget. Every year, MoDOT produces a five year construction program where they identify the projects that will be delivered and the estimates and timeline for their delivery. The actual money comes from a combination of funds at both the state and federal level.
"Primarily from state and federal, gas tax funding, but there is registration and licensing fees as well that go along with it," Watkins said.
MoDOT said the construction of the new bridge is scheduled to begin in late winter or early spring.
