Bridge rehabilitation work scheduled for Mark Twain Memorial Bridge on I-72 near Hannibal to begin in mid-April

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Bridge rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin on the Interstate 72 Mark Twain Memorial Bridge near Hannibal in mid-April. During the first few weeks of work, eastbound and westbound I-72 across the bridge will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction.

In late April/early May, the I-72 bridge will close for up to 30 days. To expedite the work and minimize traffic impacts, the schedule includes crews working in two shifts to replace the bearings on one end of the bridge’s truss span. The closure period is dependent on weather and any work-related issues that may arise during bearing replacement.

Traffic will be detoured to cross the Mississippi River at West Quincy. Travelers in Missouri will utilize U.S. Route 61 to U.S. Route 24 to West Quincy. Motorists in Illinois will use Interstate 72 to Interstate 172 to Illinois 104 to reach Missouri. Message boards and signs will be put in place in Illinois and Missouri to alert motorists of the closure with signed detours.

The Mark Twain Memorial Bridge opened in 2000 and carries more than 17,500 vehicles daily. Bridge painting was completed last summer as part of the rehabilitation work. Routine maintenance and rehabilitation work address deterioration caused by normal use and environmental elements. This work keeps bridges in good condition and maintains the operational life of the structure. Additional bridge maintenance, including bridge washing, will be performed later this summer with minor impacts to traffic.

For more information on this project, contact Gerri Jeffries with the Missouri Department of Transportation at gerri.jeffries@modot.mo.gov. The public will be updated on this project through signs, message boards, news releases and social media.

Motorists will see work in Illinois as well. The Illinois Department of Transportation began bridge inspections on the Bayview Bridge over the Mississippi River on March 10. The bridge will be restricted to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction in place through the duration of the project which is scheduled to be completed at the end of April. For more information on the Bayview Bridge work, contact Paul Wappel at paul.wappel@illinois.gov or Joe Schatteman at joe.schatteman@illinois.gov with the Illinois Department of Transportation.