Drivers who use Interstate 44 for weekend travel will want to consider alternative routes Aug. 2 to Aug. 5 as the Missouri Department of Transportation will close the interstate to set girders for the new westbound Watson Road bridge over I-44.

Crews will close all lanes of eastbound and westbound I-44 between Interstate 270 and Geyer Road starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, with all lanes closed by 8 p.m.

During the interstate closure, drivers will still be able to get from I-44 to I-270 in both directions, as well as to eastbound Watson Road. Eastbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue east on I-44 can take exit 227A to Watson Road, turn onto Lindbergh Boulevard, and take Lindbergh back to eastbound I-44.

Westbound I-44 wanting to continue west on I-44 will need to take the I-270 exit, exit 276, and use the westbound I-44 ramp, after the bridge, to continue on westbound I-44 during the closure. These detours are similar to the ones used during the bridge demolition after Memorial Day.

All I-44 lanes will reopen by Monday, Aug. 5.

This is the first of two weekend I-44 closures. Crews will close westbound I-44 the following weekend between Geyer Road and I-270 at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9. Crews will be placing deck panels on the bridge over the westbound lanes. Westbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue west on I-44 will need to take the I-270 exit, exit 276, and use the westbound I-44 ramp, after the bridge, to continue on westbound I-44 during the closure. All westbound lanes are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12.

The westbound Watson Road bridge is scheduled to remain closed until November 2019. Whole the bridge is closed, Watson Road drivers can use Lindbergh Boulevard to access westbound I-44 and northbound and southbound I-270.