ST. LOUIS — There is no projected reopen date for the Martin Luther King Bridge over the Mississippi River.
It’s been closed since August 2018. Now, IDOT officials say it might not reopen until 2020.
IDOT officials announced Thursday that flooding in the Midwest has significantly delayed their progress. They’re working to replace a bridge that leads up to the MLK Bridge on the Illinois side, but trains are getting in the way.
Train tracks run right under the bridge they’re trying to replace. Because flooding has closed tracks across the region, more trains are being rerouted into the area.
That means trains are chugging along right through the construction project.
In particular, crews are trying to remove a critical truss. IDOT said crews need work windows of at least 4-6 hours with no train traffic to bring down the truss. But at times recently, trains have been crossing the area every 30 minutes.
The MLK Bridge was supposed to reopen this fall, but IDOT said it’s difficult to predict when the work will be finished. Officials said it’s all dependent on the flooding situation.
IDOT apologized to drivers who travel between Missouri and Illinois for the inconvenience.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Live traffic conditions
Drivers are encouraged to use the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge take MetroLink or carpool.
The Poplar Street also is an option, but there will be increased traffic in the weeks leading up to the July 4 holiday.
IDOT announced Thursday that two eastbound lanes of the Poplar Street Bridge will close for three weeks beginning June 10. Critical repairs are needed on the bridge.
