We asked folks in the St. Louis community -- and our own newsroom -- to post updates about what they see and experience leading up to and the week after the shutdown of Highway 40 on Jan. 2. Knowing that the fallout would extend far beyond that interstate, we didn't limit ourselves to Highway 40 commuters.

Our team is posting updates to the online microblogging site Twitter.com. It's a social networking site that let's people keep in touch through brief microblog updates. How brief? They're limited to 140 characters. Here's a brief rundown (er, maybe that's not the best expression?) on the Twitter Team:

Amy Bertrand is Lifestyle Editor of the Post-Dispatch. She lives in St. Charles County and commutes into St. Louis daily for her job. She's Twittering as abertrand.

Melody Cissell works as an interaction designer for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. She lives in Maplewood and she will be driving an alternate route to avoid the highway's alternate routes during her daily commute to Clayton. She is Twittering as MCissellon40.

Sheila Effan writes, "Currently, I am a High Ridge resident, former city dweller (wishing I lived there right now with the upcoming 40 doom).  I fly 44 to and from Downtown. I am wondering why all these new drivers, or lack there of, are crowding my highway. I work at downtown at infuz. And please don't eat the turtles." She Twitters as as EatAnts2.

Bob Ell lives in Maplewood and works at the Center for International Studies at UMSL.  He takes Metrolink to work most days. He's Twittering as bobell.

Jessica Gluckman has no car, but says, "I commute by bike on major arterials (Manchester, in particular, at this
moment) and regularly use the Metrolink and the bus system as well. I have been curious about the impact the Highway 40 shutdown will have on those of us who never actually use it to get around the city." She Twitters as frippycycle.

Kurt Greenbaum is director of social media for the Post-Dispatch. He lives in west county and takes 40 daily, but will obviously be making other arrangements. He's Twittering as kfg40.

Susan Iskiwitch is a St. Louis native and works as an account coordinator for Standing Partnership. She lives just east of the closure and commutes west along 40. She's Twittering as SusanIskoff40.

Thomas Kiefer is a St. Louis native. He is a college student living in Richmond Heights, which will be a deeply affected area throughout the whole project. He is Twittering as H8Traffic.

Jeannette Levingston is a freelance writer who lives near the Highway 40 project. She Twitters at JSpaghettiOff40.

Mike Martinez is an information technology manager for USDA.  He commutes downtown from O'Fallon, Ill., over the Poplar Street Bridge or Eads Bridge depending on the traffic conditions. He Twitters as MikeonHwy40.

Chris Paton lives in South St. Louis and will be navigating the construction daily to get to work at Monsanto in Creve Coeur, where he works in electronic and employee communications. He Twitters as topher_hwy40.

Lew Schucart is an online producer for STLtoday.com at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He often commutes on Interstate 70. He Twitters as lschuc.

Liz Skeens is an account supervisor at international PR agency Fleishman-Hillard Inc. She purposefully moved near the airport to avoid the Highway 40 construction and now commutes to her downtown office via I-70. She Twitters as LizSkeensOn70.

Lisa Young lives in O'Fallon, Mo., and commutes daily to her job in Westport. She writes, "I find traffic updates on local and satellite radio too slow to keep me out of a jam. For the PM Rush, I'm looking for the clearest path for my minivan so I can reach my kid's daycare before closing time." She Twitters as jedimom_hwy40,