Work on the Lafayette Street Interchange project in Jefferson City has reached the halfway mark, and with the milestone comes another traffic pattern change for motorists traveling U.S. 50/63 near Lafayette.
On Friday, both eastbound lanes 50/63 will be diverted onto the newly constructed westbound lanes and across the recently built westbound 50/63 bridge over Lafayette. The eastbound on ramp from Lafayette to 50/63 will be closed as part of this change. The configuration will allow work to begin on the new eastbound 50/63 bridge and the future eastbound lanes.
The westbound 50/63 bypass, which guides traffic down the new Lafayette off ramp, across Lafayette and back onto 50/63, will remain in place. Motorists will still not have access to Lafayette from the bypass. The Clark Avenue on ramp from westbound 50/63 will also remain closed.
This new configuration is anticipated to remain in place until summer 2016.
The majority of the work during this second phase of the project would be focused on:
• The eastbound 50/63 bridge over Lafayette Street
• New eastbound lanes of 50/63, which will improve sight distances in the area near Lafayette.
• The eastbound off ramp to Lafayette.
The two-year, $20.3-million project began in late 2014 and MoDOT officials said it remains scheduled for completion in the fall of 2016. The project includes building a new interchange at 50/63 and Lafayette and the expansion of the Whitton Expressway from Monroe Street to Lafayette and from Lafayette to Clark. The project also includes improving six bridges along the corridor.
Two of the six bridges - the Chestnut Street bridge over 50/63 and the westbound 50/63 bridge over Lafayette - have been completed.
For more information, including traffic impact summaries and weekly construction updates visit: modot.org/central/major_projects/LafayetteInterchange.htm.