[Blue Goose]

I worked out on I-70 Friday night/Saturday morning. The highway was shut down to allow for the demolition of the Madison St. overpass and some much needed infrastructure maintenance along the section known as the depressed section. It's known as the depressed section because the mainline traffic lanes are below the grade of the city streets and allowing for those city streets to pass over the highway on grade. (did that make sense?)

Anyway, some pictures of the not so interesting work, and some taken from a rare vantage point, a closed Interstate.

On the south end of the project, looking east at some of the ramps leading to and from the bridge crossing the Mississippi River, the Poplar Street Bridge. Four interstates, I-44, I-55, I-64, I-70, all cross this same bridge

This picture was taken Sat. morning from the north end looking south of our area of work and gives a view of the the closed depressed lanes of I-70.

What we were doing was removing, rebuilding, and replacing 25 grated inlets the had deteriorated over the last forty years. Here is a worker sawing the pavement of the first of these.

Here is the view I saw all of last night, the landmark Gateway Arch. The steeple you see in this picture is of the Old Cathedral, the first Catholic Cathedral built west of the Mississippi.

Another view...

Dawns early light Sat. A.M.

After sunrise...

From up on Memorial Drive, the depressed lanes of I-70 are below. The domed building is the Old Courthouse. It dates back to the Civil War and is where the Dred Scott decision was handed down.

Tomorrow, it's back out to the airport...

 

[Bobcat'nSTL]

You should have let us known. We were up working at the house all day when went over and watched the demolition of the Madison St. overpass since it was only 2 blocks away. Did u go down there at all? I am asking because Saturday night we went and watched some and they were loading out the rubble and the rubble was on fire for some reason.

 

[Cummins343]

Are they ever gonna put in a 3rd lane for I-70 that's meant for trucks only? My dad is a trucker for UPS and said there's talk of KSdot and MOdot putting in a 3rd lane for trucks ONLY.

 

[Blue Goose]

You should have let us known. We were up working at the house all day when went over and watched the demolition of the Madison St. overpass since it was only 2 blocks away. Did u go down there at all?

No sir, I didn't. Our and St. Louis Bridge's scope of work was limited to the infrastructure work primarily on 70 between the Eads bridge and the Poplar Street bridge.

 

[Blue Goose]

Are they ever gonna put in a 3rd lane for I-70 that's meant for trucks only? My dad is a trucker for UPS and said there's talk of KSdot and MOdot putting in a 3rd lane for trucks ONLY.

It's my understanding they are going to start the dedicated truck lanes on the western side of the state first......when funding is available.

 

[wanabe]

Great pics! I always like to see the arch when the sun comes up. One of the best runs I get working for BNSF RR goes right through that section of StL, right under the arch.