Route B bridge over Interstate 57 near Bertrand will be replaced

Construction to replace the Route B bridge over Interstate 57 near Bertrand in Mississippi County is slated to begin in mid-February.

Weather permitting, work will begin Monday, Feb. 13, with completion anticipated by Friday, June 30, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

As construction is underway, Route B will be closed in the vicinity of the bridge, MoDOT said. Traffic will utilize the interchange ramps from northbound I-57 to travel south on Route B or from southbound I-57 to travel north on Route B. Throughout construction there will be minimal impacts to I-57 traffic. Impacts to I-57 traffic will occur during demolition of the existing bridge and as the beams are set.

The new bridge will raise the vertical clearance for I-57 traffic, according to MoDOT. In addition, roundabouts will be constructed on either side of the bridge. Roundabouts are known to result in calmer traffic while still allowing traffic to flow efficiently. Additional details will be released prior to construction of the roundabouts.

The bridge is included in the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Bootheel Bridge Bundle design-build project, which will improve 17 bridges throughout Southeast Missouri. Completion of the Bootheel Bridge Bundle design-build project is anticipated on or before Dec. 31. The design-build project website is available at https://www.modot.org/bootheel-bridge-bundle.

This bridge is also included in Gov. Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state.

The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.

For additional information, please contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or Travis Slayton, project manager for the Robertson Contractors Team, at (573) 785-0880.