Traffic on Southbound U.S. Highway 63 will be reduced down to one lane on May 1 due to bridge repairs over Bonne Femme Creek, according to a press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
“It will impact the community by allowing the bridge to be in place and in service for years to come,” resident engineer Aaron Peck said.
The repairs are costing around $430,000 and the Department will be working through EMC Construction.
Delays from this construction are estimated to be around 30 minutes to two hours at peak times. Peck said the two hour delay could be a backup of over six miles.
“With that in mind, anyone who is traveling 63, we just ask people to watch ahead of them, traffic will be slowing down probably suddenly as cars hit the end of the cue,” Peck said.
The Department reminds drivers of how to make travel through the work flow better by using the “zipper merge” as they merge into one lane. This will encourage drivers to use both lanes of traffic until they reach one lane.
This project will be split into two phases. The two phases have a 45 day deadline, so the southbound lane will reopen around mid-June.
Along with bridge repairs, the Department will be adding in an accelerated lane to increase safety for motorists merging into southbound U.S. Highway 63 from the outer road.
The entire project will be completed in early June.