Grand Boulevard Bridge to be replaced

After years of dormancy, this project just popped up out of nowhere. In an message to students and faculty of Saint Louis University, the university’s President Lawrence Biondi revealed that a bridge over the railways between Chouteau Avenue and Interstate-64 on July 1, 2010.

Details are very sparse at this point, but it sounds like the bridge will be closed for a year in order to demolish the old bridge, and build the new bridge and Metrolink station. The last renderings for this bridge came out in 2006 so there is no telling what it will look like. But with the construction date to start so soon, you can expect we will be seeing much about this very soon.

I will post any new information that pops up in the next few days, but in the meantime, here is the direct copy of the message from Biondi. A big thanks to urbanstl.com user bk18 for posting this on the forums:

I want to update you on the latest news regarding the reconstruction of the Grand Boulevard Bridge planned by the City of St. Louis. City officials have notified us that the tentative start date is July 1st, 2010. We were also told that the bridge will be closed for about one year.

This $27 million project will completely replace the bridge as well as the Grand Boulevard MetroLink station. Although the closure will be inconvenient, it’s critical to remember that this important project will improve our Midtown neighborhood. Traveling across the bridge — either by foot or in a car — will be safer. The beautification of the bridge will compliment enhancements we are planning along Grand through our Medical Center. We applied for and received a federal grant, administered through the state, which will help fund new lighting, sidewalks, bike lanes and a landscaped, irrigated median along Grand between Chouteau and Park Avenues. A right-hand turn lane from Grand onto eastbound Chouteau also will be added.

The City, Saint Louis University Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center are assisting us with this project. Look for more details about these improvements in future messages.

In anticipation of the closure of the bridge, we have been working on plans to minimize the impact on our operations. I will share those plans with you as we draw closer to construction.

With the area having just finished up with the I-64 project and the similar Jefferson Avenue Bridge project, I would image people would be used to the reroutes. Should be interesting.