Providence Road over Interstate 70 in Columbia is set to close for five months starting in late May, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The process will begin with demolition and removal of the overpass bridge and pedestrian bridge beginning at 9 p.m. May 29 until 9 a.m. May 31, according to the release. During the demolition and removal of the bridge, there will be no access to or from Providence Road from I-70, and both directions of the I-70 will be reduced to one lane.
The ramp from Range Line Street onto westbound I-70 will be closed for the duration of the demolition and replacement, according to the release. Pedestrians will have to find an alternate route during this time due to the removal of the pedestrian bridge.
Once the demolition and cleanup are complete on May 31, I-70 will return to normal traffic patterns in the area, according to the release.
As the new bridge is built over the five-month period, the ramp from westbound I-70 to Providence Road will be closed, and there will be no access for drivers to cross the interstate. Signed detours will be available for alternate routes, according to the news release.
The new overpass bridge will be longer to accommodate a third lane of I-70 in each direction and raised to allow passage of taller vehicles, according to the release. The overpass will feature pedestrian crossings and “beautification elements” including decorative lighting, railings and fencing, stone-pattern retaining walls and bridge facade enhancements.
The work is part of MoDOT’s Rocheport to Columbia I-70 improvement project, which is part of a larger program to expand the interstate to three lanes in each direction and improve interchanges and overpasses along the corridor.