Lafayette interchange work progressing

But work won't be complete before schools starts

Brocke Lunceford, left, and Phillip Divine apply the finishing touches to the concrete curbing on
Lafayette Street Friday afternoon, Aug. 12, 2016. Both work for Emery Sapp and Sons in Columbia and are part of the crew on the Lafayette Street interchange project. They are busy making the connectors, as they are about to wrap up the nearly two-year project.
Brocke Lunceford, left, and Phillip Divine apply the finishing touches to the concrete curbing on Lafayette Street Friday afternoon, Aug. 12, 2016. Both work for Emery Sapp and Sons in Columbia and are part of the crew on the Lafayette Street interchange project. They are busy making the connectors, as they are about to wrap up the nearly two-year project.

When Jefferson City's Public Schools open Thursday and when Lincoln University begins classes Aug. 22, detours caused by construction of the Lafayette Street interchange with U.S. 50/63 still will be in place.

However, the work is progressing as planned, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

"All of the pavement on Lafayette Street has been poured, and we are currently installing curbs, gutters, traffic signals and retaining walls there," MoDOT spokeswoman Sally Oxenhandler said Friday. "The Jackson Street bridge deck, sidewalks and curbs have been poured. We still need to pour the bridge footings and perform other work there."

The Jackson Street overpass is scheduled to open by Sept. 1, she said, and the entire interchange should be open by Oct. 28.

The $20.3 million project included building a new interchange at U.S. 50/63 and Lafayette; adding a lane in each direction on the Whitton Expressway from Monroe Street to Lafayette and from Lafayette to Clark Avenue; and rehabilitating, replacing or constructing six bridges along the corridor.

The six bridges include:

The replacement of the Chestnut Street bridge over U.S. 50, which was finished last year; the Jackson Street bridge; and the two Expressway bridges over Lafayette, which were finished earlier this year.

Two new bridges over Wears Creek, as part of the ramps connecting Lafayette Street with the Expressway.

The rehabilitation of the Clark Avenue bridge over U.S. 50/63. That work hasn't started yet.

Earlier this year, MoDOT thought work would begin later this year or in early 2017 - and no new date has been announced.

Cary Armour, MoDOT's lead inspector on the Lafayette project, said the Clark Avenue work depends on when the rest of the project is finished.

"If the Lafayette part finishes earlier than expected, we will start the Clark Avenue bridge rehab," Armour explained. "The rehab has some product temperature limitations, which will restrict work.

"If the Clark Avenue rehab cannot be done this year, it will not start until after May 31, 2017, and will last for 45 days."