The Interstate 70 Blanchette Missouri River Bridge westbound closure and detouring will start in two weeks, but significant impacts to travelers will occur this weekend.


The Missouri Department of Transportation will close three lanes on the eastbound I-70 bridge from 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 until 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. At least two eastbound lanes will remain open to traffic throughout the weekend.

The ramps from northbound and southbound Fifth Street to eastbound I-70 will also be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 until 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 for safety reasons with the I-70 work zone. Drivers can take Veterans' Memorial Drive to Route 94 to access eastbound I-70.

Crews will be restriping the eastbound I-70 bridge to six lanes in preparation for the bridge to handle both directions of I-70 traffic starting the first weekend in November. Before morning rush on Monday, Oct. 22, the normal five lanes of eastbound I-70 will be open to traffic.

The work is done in preparation for the closure of the westbound I-70 Blanchette Bridge the first weekend of November. The bridge will remain closed for less than one year.

The eastbound I-70 bridge will be used to carry three lanes of traffic in each direction. Immediately off the end of the bridge there will be pavement in the median to move the three westbound lanes back over to the normal westbound pavement.

Use alternate routes to eastbound I-70 this weekend during the lane closures. Route 370 and Route 364 provide nearby alternate Missouri River bridge crossings.

For more information about the I-70 Blanchette Bridge rehabilitation project, visit the project website at www.modot.org/blanchettebridge.