By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – Highway crews will not shut down the entire 12-mile stretch of Interstate 64 for the duration of its planned construction overhaul starting next year.
That's the word from Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn, who met with regional leaders in St. Louis Tuesday.
Rahn said two contractors now working on proposed construction plans are ruling out a complete closure.
In the meantime, St. Louis mayor Francis Slay said the city will solicit public concerns about the project's impact.
"We want a traffic plan that makes sense for all of the Missouri Department of Transportation's customers," Slay said. "We think by being proactive we can calm the fears and get a traffic plan that works and makes sense."
Few specific details are known about the work, but any plans on I-64 will include a new interchange at Interstate 170.
The project will begin next year and end in 2010.