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WEST ALTON, MO. - A new project will make a substantial difference in the elevation of the southbound U.S. Route 67 lanes close to the Clark Bridge.
The upcoming project will change the elevation of southbound Route 67 lanes to the elevation of the northbound lanes for approximately one mile south of the Clark Bridge over the Mississippi River.
The project will also improve safety and mobility at the Route 67 and Riverlands Way intersection and include a J-turn. To learn more about J-turns follow this link: https://www.modot.org/j-turns
This project was awarded to KCI Construction for $7 million with a projected completion date of the end of 2022.
Missouri Department of Transportation had this statement about the project:
“Northbound lanes of Route 67 traveling towards the Clark Bridge in Alton, IL., are significantly higher than the southbound lanes. As a result, several times a year sections of the southbound Route 67 lanes, from the Clark Bridge to the Missouri River, are subject to periodic flooding. Sometimes the road remains flooded for more than a month and causes an inconvenience to motorists and local businesses in the area.”
The Missouri Highway Department said this project does not raise the entire stretch of southbound Route 67 lanes between the two rivers out of the plain.
“If the Missouri or Mississippi levees are over-topped, these lanes will flood,” MODOT said. “Therefore, this project will not completely eliminate flooding of the southbound Route 67 roadway between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, however, it is anticipated to reduce the frequency of flooding.”
Unfortunately, MODOT will not be able to make significant improvements for pedestrians or cyclists at this time in this area.
“We continue to work with several partners to try to identify funding to make improvements in the future,” MODOT said. “None of the work currently planned will prohibit future cyclist or pedestrian improvements.”
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