By RYAN SKAITH

Motorists should prepare for travel disruptions this weekend as Interstate 29 in Buchanan County is scheduled to close in both directions for demolition of the Gene Field Road Bridge.

The closure will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, with the interstate expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9.

Clarkson Construction Company, in coordination with the Missouri Department of Transportation, will utilize the closure to demolish the Gene Field Road Bridge. This work is a primary step in a larger replacement project designed to modernize the aging structure.

To navigate the closure, all through traffic on I-29 will be diverted to Interstate 229:

• Southbound I-29 traffic must exit at the I-29/I-229/U.S. Route 71 interchange (Exit 56B).
• Northbound I-29 traffic must exit at the I-229/I-29 interchange (Exit 43).

Local access will also be restricted during this window. Drivers will be unable to access northbound I-29 from Missouri Route 6 (Frederick Blvd.) at Exit 47, and southbound I-29 access from U.S. Route 169 at Exit 50 will be closed.

Gene Field Road will remain closed between Woodbine Road and Woodland Drive for the duration of the construction. The replacement project aims to widen the bridge, replace the driving surface, and install new pedestrian sidewalks on both the north and south sides. The entire project is slated for completion by July 2026.

Following this weekend’s full closure, motorists should anticipate intermittent overnight lane closures on I-29 beneath the bridge. these may occur between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. throughout the construction period. A 10.6-foot width restriction will remain in place for the safety of both drivers and workers.