MLK Bridge work to start in October
Work to make the Martin Luther King Bridge safer for drivers is expected to begin next month and will result in a full bridge closure for 10 to 12 days. The Illinois Department of Transportation is trying to schedule the work around Rams games, the Cardinals postseason, and Memorial Drive construction, IDOT engineer Jeff Church said. The department has not determined the dates of the closure.
The Illinois transportation department will be spending $1.4 million to build a concrete barrier wall dividing eastbound and westbound traffic. The four-lane bridge will become a three-lane bridge. One lane will carry westbound traffic, and two lanes will carry vehicles eastbound. Crews also will lay a fresh surface on the crossing.
Last winter, a rash of crashes prompted the Illinois State Police to crack down on speeders on the bridge and the McKinley Bridge. A department study recommended that the concrete barrier wall be installed, and that driving lanes be widened.
Traffic across the Mississippi River is expected to jam during the work. About 31,700 use the King Bridge daily to get between downtown St. Louis and Illinois. Jeff Church said IDOT will notify the public several weeks in advance of the closure.
I drive the MLK to and from work every day and can only say: Thank God! I hold my breath every day fearing the narrow lanes, the speeders, the drivers who change lane without notice. Going down to three lanes can ONLY help.
Don’t worry about the Blues fans….They are resourceful…they just take the ferry across.
“One lane will carry westbound traffic, and two lanes will carry vehicles eastbound.” This seems to be Back Asswards… Wouldn’t you want 2 lanes going westbound into the city? I also drive this every day and it’s not that bad the way it is. The worst part is the morons making a U turn on the MO side in front of Lumiere. This change is a waiste of money is just going to cause more traffic buildup on the east side. Why not wait until the new bridge is built?
I just can not understand why they don’t make the MLK lanes reversable; going into the city during the a.m. rush and out of the city in the evening. Only one lane going into the city just demonstrates that the people who make the decisions about the bridges don’t get or don’t care about the impact these decisions have on Illinois drivers who work and pay taxes in St. Louis.
The partitions are sadly necessary due to the number of u-turns which occur on a daily basis, but reversable lanes would be a better idea. Has any thought been given at all to the back-up which will occur when 70 is jammed? It causes enough problems now with two lanes.
I moved out of the St Louis area in 1969 (40 yrs ago this month) There was no MLK bridge at that time. Was this a new bridge or an old one renamed? If it was renamed, what was the original name? Someone help me please. If I don’t find out I may not be able to sleep tonight!!
I just can not understand why they don’t make the MLK lanes reversable; going into the city during the a.m. rush and out of the city in the evening. Only one lane going into the city just demonstrates that the people who make the decisions about the bridges don’t get or don’t care about the impact these decisions have on Illinois drivers who work and pay taxes in St. Louis.
MLK Use to be the Vet. Bridge.
….My previous comment has a question about the bridge. Mr Google and I found the answer. I was surprised that the name change from Veterans was made in 1968, one year before I moved out of the area. I just did not remember it happening.
Couldn’t they have waited another couple of months until 40/64 reopened. Thought the planners said there would be no other major projects going on until the 40/64 was complete.