HANNIBAL, Mo. — In the coming weeks, motorists will notice preparations being made to transition to Stage 2 construction on the intersection improvement project on Missouri Route 47, at U.S. Route 61 at Troy in Lincoln County.

Weather permitting, the week of September 9, crews will begin installing median barrier walls along U.S. Route 61 for traffic control during the upcoming bridge removal process. Traffic will be reduced to one lane while crews are actively working between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

As early as September 16, U.S. 61 off-ramp traffic will be restricted to right turns only at the ramp terminals onto MO 47. A signed detour will be in place to assist motorists in reaching their destinations.

The second phase of construction will include:

• The removal of the northern half of the existing MO 47 bridge
• Reconstruction of the northern half of the MO 47 bridge and the two adjacent turning radii for the ramps
• The Frenchman Bluff Road entrance relocation
• New pavement to widen MO 47 from the bridge west to Turnbull Trail and east to Wilson Drive

Traffic impacts during stage 2 of construction will include:

• A long weekend closure of MO 47 and U.S. 61 to facilitate the bridge removal, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Friday, September 20 at 10:00 p.m. and continue to Sunday, September 22 at 10:00 p.m.
• During the bridge closure, traffic using the following routes will be diverted:
  • MO 47 (Eastbound/Westbound) will use a signed detour over East Cherry Street to South Lincoln Drive then northbound to MO 47 or southbound to the South Lincoln Drive interchange
  • U.S. 61 (Northbound) to MO 47 (Westbound toward Hawk Point) will utilize the South Lincoln Drive interchange to reach MO 47
  • U.S. 61 (Northbound/Southbound) traffic will be diverted up and over the existing interchange ramps
  • Old Cap Au Gris Road exit ramp will be closed to traffic
• Four temporary signals will be in place to direct traffic during Stages 2 and 3:
  • East and west interchange ramp terminals
  • East Cherry Street and MO 47 intersection
  • Old Cap Au Gris Road and South Lincoln Drive intersection
• During bridge construction, MO 47 will be reduced to one lane in each direction and include a 12-foot width restriction, from North Lincoln Drive to East Cherry Street. All traffic will be shifted to the existing southside of bridge.
• The existing entrances to Frenchman Bluff Road and Bluffview Drive will remain open and accessible until the new intersection and street tie-in is operational and ready for traffic.
• U.S. 61 will have late night road closures while crews set bridge beams in place. These closures will be short-term lasting up to 20 minutes and occur between midnight and 4 a.m.

The entire area of the interchange will be an active work zone over the next year. We would like to remind drivers to please slow down, obey all signs and eliminate distractions while driving. Signs and message boards will be in place to alert motorists, as schedule changes occur. MoDOT will alert the public about the project through signs, news releases and social media. We encourage you to view the Stage 2 Construction video to learn more about traffic impacts during this phase. Please visit the project website at www.modot.org/missouri-route-47-and-us-route-61-interchange-improvements-lincoln to view all project construction stage videos.

The $15.4M contract was awarded this summer to KCI Construction Company of St. Louis, MO. Stage 2 is scheduled to be complete by December 15, 2024.

For more information on this and other projects in your area, please contact MoDOT’s Customer Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK MODOT (275-6636). Work with us in the work zone! Please remember to obey all work zone signs and personnel. With an increased number of highway work zones in Missouri, we urge all drivers to pay attention every second while driving, especially through a work zone. Be informed of your route by checking the MoDOT Traveler Information Map before you travel.