Holiday ends as it began - in traffic jam

Bridge traffic backs up to Missouri 179

Throughout Labor Day there was a steady stream of vehicles traveling on the eastbound Missouri River Bridge as people went back home after the holiday weekend. Because of work on the westbound bridge forcing all traffic onto the eastbound bridges, traffic at times was backed up as far as Missouri 179.
Throughout Labor Day there was a steady stream of vehicles traveling on the eastbound Missouri River Bridge as people went back home after the holiday weekend. Because of work on the westbound bridge forcing all traffic onto the eastbound bridges, traffic at times was backed up as far as Missouri 179.

 

Throughout the day on Labor Day there was a steady stream of vehicles crossing the eastbound Missouri River Bridge.

But, just like Friday afternoon and evening at the start of the holiday weekend, the traffic backed up for a lengthy distance.

As early as 11 a.m. there were reports of vehicles backed up to Missouri 179 slowly making their way toward the bridge.

At around 2:20 p.m., the Jefferson City Police Department 911 Center asked members of the news media to inform the public they should avoid using the bridge because the traffic remained backed up to 179.

MoDOT officials put out warnings last week to motorists that repair work that has closed the westbound bridge and forced traffic to go both ways on the eastbound bridge would cause delays and to take alternate routes if possible if they were headed to the Lake of the Ozarks or other recreations down south.

The westbound bridge closed on May 1 for repainting. The bridge is scheduled to reopen sometime this fall.

Despite the delays, no crashes were reported in the area of the bridges.