ST. LOUIS – Road construction projects are beginning in the city and expected to last until August. Rush hour drivers in Midtown St. Louis are in for slowdowns. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
The start of the baseball season means construction projects on area roads has also begun.
Westbound exit 38 a from Interstate 64 to Forest Park Avenue and Grand Boulevard was closed at 12 p.m. Friday, March 28, for emergency repairs to the retaining wall supporting the ramp to Grand Boulevard.
In an email from the mayor’s office, deputy director for communications Rasmus Jorgensen states, the top of the retaining wall exhibits excessive horizontal movement toward the Forest Park Avenue traffic lanes.
To facilitate repairs and protect traffic lanes, the westbound exit 38a from I-64 will be closed, as will the westbound lanes of Forest Park Avenue between Compton Avenue and Grand Boulevard.
The design for the repair is complete, and the city has contracted a firm to perform the repairs.
Check FOX 2’s traffic map for real-time updates.
The repair work, as well as the related street closures, is currently expected to take three to four months.
The city is working with the contractor to accelerate this as much as possible.
Signs directing drivers to the appropriate detours will be deployed as soon as they are ready.
Drivers on Market Street or Compton Avenue can get to Forest Park Avenue multiple ways: going north on Jefferson Avenue or Compton Avenue, west on Olive Street/Lindell Boulevard, South on Grand Avenue, and west on Forest Park Avenue; or going south on Jefferson Avenue or Compton Avenue, west on Chouteau Avenue, north on Grand Avenue, and west on Forest Park Avenue.
On the interstates, the detour route for truck traffic is I-44 to Grand Boulevard.
Local traffic can exit at exit 38b Jefferson Avenue/22nd Street, northbound to Olive Street.
Driving around the city, consider the next time you get behind the wheel a workout…that is an exercise in patience.