ST. CHARLES • Westbound Interstate 70 commuters will face potentially disruptive diversions and detours beginning this fall - as early as Nov. 1, Missouri transportation officials announced today.

The $62.7 million renovation project involves closing the five-lane westbound span of the Blanchette Bridge and squeezing all I-70 traffic onto the eastbound span. That bridge will be restriped with three narrow lanes in each direction.

Ed Hassinger, the Missouri Department of Transportation District Engineer in St. Louis, said today that contractor Walsh Construction Co. intends to begin the work in November and close the westbound span for less than a year.

The specific start date depends on the availability of steel for the new truss and approach spans, MoDOT officials said. The weather also could play into the decision.

Hassinger said the agency wanted to get the information out well in advance. MoDOT has restriped Highway 370, has reconfigured the interchange of Interstates 270 and 70 and did some work at I-70 and Muegge Road in advance of the bridge closure.

Hassinger added that the Highway 141 extension and the Page-Olive connector will be complete, as will the next phase of the Page Avenue (Route 364) project in St. Charles County.

Traffic congestion on the Blanchette Bridge will be worse during commute times, he said. People are being encouraged to alter their commute routes to use Page Avenue or Highway 370.

"Really this is going to be a commute issue," he said.