I-44 Closure in Downtown St. Louis Expected to Continue Through Weekend Following Water Main Break

St. Louis, Mo. (KFMO) - Interstate 44 through downtown St. Louis will remain closed through at least this weekend as transportation and utility officials continue working to address damage caused by a water main break that exposed a bridge footing supporting the interstate.

The closure affects I-44 between the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Poplar Street Bridge. According to MoDOT, the bridge was shut down as a precaution after the water main break near Broadway and Biddle exposed one of the bridge's structural footings.

MoDOT officials emphasized that the department closes any bridge when there are concerns about the safety of motorists. Engineers continue to monitor the situation while repair plans move forward.

Officials say initial repair concepts were not immediately feasible because required materials were not readily available, which would have delayed reopening the interstate for several weeks. Instead, the Metropolitan Sewer District and the City of St. Louis have developed an alternative approach intended to reduce the overall length of the closure.

Design plans for the new approach are currently being submitted, but officials caution that implementation will take time before the interstate can safely reopen to traffic. Additional updates are expected as work progresses.

The following traffic restrictions remain in place:

• I-44 westbound is closed at Tucker Boulevard and the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge. Motorists can use Exit 249B to Tucker Boulevard or continue on eastbound I-70 across the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge, which remains open.
• I-44 eastbound is closed at the Poplar Street Bridge. Drivers can continue eastbound across the bridge at Exit 291A.
• Eastbound I-70 express lanes are closed at Union Boulevard.
• South Broadway remains closed in both directions at Biddle Street.
• The westbound I-64 ramp to eastbound I-44 from Illinois is closed.
• Westbound Martin Luther King Bridge traffic from Illinois is limited to downtown access only.
• The Eads Bridge remains open.

While the interstate remains closed, MoDOT maintenance crews are taking advantage of the reduced traffic to perform graffiti removal, drain cleaning, and lighting maintenance in portions of the roadway not directly impacted by the bridge issue.

Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes and expect delays in the downtown St. Louis area until repairs are completed and the interstate can safely reopen.