MoDOT, District 8, Springfield -- Westbound Route 60 is scheduled to be closed Friday night and Saturday night, May 16-17, to begin repairs on the southbound Route 65 bridge over Route 60.

The southbound Route 65 bridge was damaged by an over-sized load on Friday, May 9. Three of five steel girders were bent out of shape, although all five girders continue to bear weight.

Here's what will happen involving the repair project:

* Westbound Route 60 traffic will be routed north on Route 65 starting at about 7:30 p.m. Friday and ending at 5 a.m. Saturday. The same detour is planned between 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday.

Westbound Route 60 drivers detoured north on Route 65 will be directed to use the interchange at Sunshine Street -- or the smaller interchange at Battlefield Road when traffic is lighter -- as a "turn-around" to get back to westbound Route 60.

* The loop ramp carrying northbound Route 65 traffic to westbound Route 60 will be closed. That's because bridge repair crews will be working where the ramp meets westbound Route 60 underneath the bridge.

* The southbound Route 65 bridge will remain open during the repairs and so will the two loop ramps -- southbound-to-eastbound and westbound-to-southbound. However, the southbound "weave" lane on the right-hand side of the bridge.

* Eastbound Route 60 underneath the Route 65 bridges will remain open.

Drivers approaching the Route 60/65 interchange will see many MoDOT vehicles with warning lights flashing, electronic message boards flashing information and orange cones set up to guide drivers. Large light units will illuminate the work area underneath the two Route 65 bridges.

* Two MoDOT bridge maintenance crews out of Jefferson City will begin repairs on the southbound Route 65 bridge girders. The workers plan to use heat and jacks to straighten the bent section of each of the three damaged steel girders.

* Repair work is scheduled to continue on Tuesday night and Wednesday night, with westbound Route 60 closed at 7:30 p.m. and reopened by 5 a.m. the next day.

However, if it is determined this weekend or early next week that girder sections must be replaced, a repair project will be scheduled over a weekend following the Memorial Day holiday.