By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Ground will be broken today (Monday) in Richmond Heights to mark the start of the largest construction project in Missouri history.
About 10 miles of I-64/Highway 40 will be completely rebuilt over the next three years. This year, crews will rebuild two interchanges: I-170 and Kingshighway. A handful of bridges will also be torn down and replaced, starting with the Tamm Ave. overpass.
In the near future, a number of homes near the highway will be demolished and lanes will be reduced on I-170 between the Galleria Parkway and I-64; there will soon be just two lanes in both directions. Drivers also should start seeing columns being built at 170, where exit and entrance ramps will stand.
Still, MO-DOT says traffic on I-64 won't be disrupted all that much. Next year, though, the entire highway be shut down from 170 to Spoede.
Richmond Heights Mayor Betty Humphries won't be at today's ground-breaking ceremony. She says she's upset that MoDOT is holding the ceremony in the same spot where 40 homes were demolished to make way for the project, calling it "insensitive."