HANNIBAL - MoDOT and its contractor will open the Route 36 railroad overpass west of Monroe City near Route U tomorrow morning. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction around the bridge for the next week or so for incidental work such as guardrail, ditchwork, crossover removal and seeding. Once this work is finished, all four lanes from Hannibal to Monroe City will be open.

The final two sections between Monroe City and Macon are progressing as weather allows. The dirtwork is 90% complete and the contractor is currently laying baserock in preparation for paving in the section from Monroe City to Shelbina. This section is still slated to be complete in 2009.

The entire 52-mile four-lane project from Hannibal to Macon was funded as a partnership between MoDOT and residents in Macon, Shelby, Monroe and Marion Counties through a one-half cent, 15 year sales tax. More information about the Route 36 project can be found on the web at www.modot.org/northeast.