Nearly 300 people attended a MoDOT open house Monday evening to learn about a project that will reshape their commute: the agency plans to spend $65.1 million rebuilding a five-mile stretch of I-44 between Route 109 in Eureka and Route 141 in Valley Park, with construction starting spring 2027 and major work running through 2028.

The "Forward 44" project will replace the Williams Creek bridges near Route 141, rebuild crash-damaged median barriers, resurface pavement, and add safety features to Antire Hill, a curve where MoDOT has identified safety concerns for trucks in severe weather. Lane restrictions and detours will affect thousands of daily drivers on the corridor, a primary route for Chesterfield Valley commuters and businesses.

MoDOT's funding breakdown shows three revenue streams: $40.3 million in legislatively designated funds for pavement and safety work, $23.3 million from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program for bridge and culvert improvements from west of Six Flags to Route 141, and $751,000 specifically for Antire Hill safety upgrades. The Antire Hill work will include new signage, lane striping changes, surface treatments, and flashing chevrons to help drivers navigate the curve.

Timeline

MoDOT's project fact sheet lays out the schedule: contractor selection in late 2026, construction beginning spring 2027, major impacts through 2027 and 2028, and completion activities extending into 2029. A separate preparatory pavement repair project is already underway on the same stretch and should wrap up later this year.

Ryan Pearcy, MoDOT's South/West St. Louis County area engineer, is the project contact. Specific detour routes and lane restriction schedules have not been released; those details will follow contractor selection.

How to Comment

Residents who missed Monday's open house at The Timbers of Eureka can still weigh in. MoDOT's online survey and project information remain available at modot.org/projects/Forward44SLPaveBridge through May 26.