Missouri Closes I-64 for Construction Project

The Missouri Department of Transportation shut down Interstate 64 on Jan. 2 and began the largest construction project in the agency’s history, the Associated Press reported.

An extensive analysis led to the decision to close all lanes of I-64 for two years, instead of leaving one lane open and stretching the effort out to a six- or eight-year undertaking, AP said.

The highway shutdown is part of a two-year, $535 million project to refurbish a stretch of interstate that runs through the heart of St. Louis and its suburbs, and has become a critical artery for commuters, AP reported.

The project will replace aging bridges and roads dating back decades, a MoDOT spokeswoman said, and 80% of the project’s funding comes from the federal government, with the remainder coming from the state, AP said.