Contractor agrees to repair damaged girders after $63m I-55 bridge works

Construction crews working on removing concrete along one of the bridges being rehabilitated as part of the three-year-long project along I-55 between I-44 in the city of St. Louis and Lindbergh (Image: MoDOT)

Work on the northbound section of I-55 over the Union Pacific Railroad bridge, just south of Loughborough Avenue was delayed after the damage.

The work was part of a $63 million project along I-55 between Lindbergh and I-44 in the city of St. Louis, rehabilitating 13 pairs of I-55 bridges along the corridor.

Work on the bridge in question included removing and replacing the existing driving surface. The bridge girders would be kept in place to support the new driving surface. But as contractor crews removed the driving surface, several girders were damaged.

Now KCI Construction has agreed to replace both the girders and bearings on the bridge and is responsible for all costs associated with engineering, design and installation of the girders. The contractor also paid for an additional crossover south of the bridge, so crews could complete the redecking work on the southbound I-55 bridge over the River Des Peres.

MoDOT expects the bridge work to be complete in fall 2025 with resurfacing of I-55 to continue into 2026.

“Our priority at this time is to continue to work with the contractor to get the road construction completed and the roadway reopened to traffic,” said Tom Blair, MoDOT St. Louis district engineer.