The Missouri Department of Transportation will close the Holly Hills Bridge over Interstate 55 starting Monday, April 11 to begin the preliminary work to remove and replace it.

There will be a full closure of I-55 from Carondelet to 4500 Broadway starting at 9 p.m. Friday, April 15, and re-opening by 5 a.m. on Monday, April 18, to allow the contractor to safely remove the bridge, according to a MoDOT news release.

Motorists can use the following detour while this section of I-55 is closed:

• Southbound I-55 – Exit at Broadway and head south. Turn right on Carondelet Avenue right and follow to I-55.

• Northbound I-55 – Exit at Carondelet and head south. Turn left on Broadway and follow to I-55.

The Delor Bridge remains closed and it was removed in mid-March. During construction of both bridges, there will be various lane closures on I-55 throughout the bridge replacement project. The Holly Hills and Delor Bridges are expected to reopen in early October 2011, the release stated.

This construction is part of the I-55 Bridge Replacement Project to remove and replace the Holly Hills and Delor Bridges. Both of them were built in the early 1960s and have deteriorated beyond the point of simply repairing the bridges, according to MoDOT.

The Holly Hills and Delor Bridges will be built in the same location with a higher clearance over the interstate to meet current Federal Highway standards. MoDOT will also upgrade the sidewalks and pedestrian ramps to American Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Replacing both the Holly Hills and Delor Bridges costs a total of $3 million.

The entire I-55 Bridge Replacement Project is expected to be complete by the end of 2011.