First, the bad news. The Martin Luther King Bridge won’t reopen in time
for tonight’s commute.
But the good news is that the bridge is expected to open later this evening, likely
around 8, and will be open for commuters on Thursday morning and beyond.
Jeff Church, project engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation, said
today that the work crews were still putting some reflectors on the concrete
barriers and finishing up the lane striping. The bridge was closed temporarily so
IDOT contractors could resurface part of the bridge and place the concrete barrier
wall to prevent crossover accidents. When it reopens, the King Bridge will have three
traffic lanes instead of the previous four. Two lanes will be eastbound. One will
be westbound. By finishing the work today – which is two days ahead of schedule
- the contractor Keeley & Sons Inc. of East St. Louis is expected to earn a
$100,000 bonus. The work began on Oct. 12.
See previous posts for more background on this project.