Route 87 in Cooper County to close for bridge replacement work

Drivers in Cooper County will come across road closures over the next few months while Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace the Route 87 bridge over I-70.

MoDOT crews said the 60-year-old bridge has deteriorated and needs replacement.

Starting at 10 p.m. Friday, crews will reduce lanes on I-70 in both directions near the bridge. Drivers on I-70 will be rerouted to the Route 87 ramps and back onto I-70.

Crews said Route 87 will be closed at the I-70 ramps and drivers on Route 87 will not have direct access to the interstate during the replacement work.

Drivers on Route 87 south can use Debo road to Route U to Route B to I-70 as a detour, and drivers on Route 87 north can use Route B to I-70 as a detour.

Crews will place detour signs to lead drivers through the alternate routes during the closures. They will also place electronic message boards along the route in advance of the closure for traffic impacts.

Crews said bridge removal should be completed by 5 a.m. Monday, with all lanes of I-70 and all ramps at the interchange reopened.

Route 87 will be closed at the bridge until replacement work is completed in November. During that time, the same detours will be available.

Crew said as part of the project, both Route 87 and the four ramps near the bridge will be rebuilt to match the alignment of the new bridge. To accommodate the work, a portion of Route 87 north of the bridge will be closed for 14 days in mid-August. A portion of Route 87 south of the bridge will be closed for 14 days in mid-September.

During the work on Route 87 north of the bridge, motorists will not have access to the I-70 westbound on or off ramps. When the work zone south of I-70 is active, drivers will not have access to the I-70 eastbound on or off ramps. Nancy Potter Road will be closed at Route 87 only during the I-70 eastbound ramp work. Detour signs will lead drivers around each work zone.