By Rachel Lippmann, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The first part of a major reconstruction of Interstate 64 in St. Louis is a week away from opening.
Gateway Constructors spokesman Dan Galvin says all of the big construction on the western half of the project is complete. Detail work, like repaving and restriping on Brentwood Boulevard near the Galleria and striping on the highway itself is all that remains. The company is watching the weather forecast carefully, Galvin said. There's a chance of rain this week.
"That could get in the way of some of the restriping we have to finish," he said. "The westbound lanes of I-64 still need to have some striping put down, and you can't do that on wet pavement."
The St. Louis City and County streets departments are urging people to leave plenty of time for their commutes next week. City streets director Todd Waeltermann is worried that people aren't paying attention.
"There's a whole lot of other things going on in the world, you know, the economy, and everything, and Christmas, the season, and I don't think everyone's head is into yet, and they really need to think about it this week and look for some alternative routes," he said.
State, city and county officials want motorists to use the interstates rather than the interior roads to go from St. Louis County all the way downtown and vice versa.