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ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Department of Transportation and its contractor, Fred Weber Inc., will close all lanes and ramps of Interstate 64 in both directions downtown between Hampton and Forest Park Parkway at 8 p.m. Friday, March 29. The closure is weather permitting.

While the interstate is closed, crews will relocate several utilities under the roadway as part of a project to construct a new interchange at Tower Grove and Boyle and replace four bridges over the interstate. The ramps from McCausland/Skinker, Hampton and Kingshighway to eastbound I-64 will be closed during this time. In addition, the ramps from Pine, Jefferson, Market and Grand to westbound I-64 will be closed during this time.

Crews will reopen the interstate and all ramps by 3 a.m. Monday, April 1.

The detour for westbound I-64 will be to get off the interstate at the Forest Park Avenue exit (exit 38A) and follow Forest Park Avenue to Kingshighway. After turning left onto Kingshighway, drivers will follow Kingshighway back to the interstate. The detour for eastbound I-64 will be to get off the interstate at the Hampton Avenue exit (exit 34B), turn right on Hampton and follow it to eastbound Interstate 44. Drivers can then take I-44 to the Poplar Street Bridge. Detour maps are available on-line at http://tinyurl.com/i64detour0113

Washington University in St. Louis and BJC HealthCare have partnered with the department on the project. Construction is expected to continue until July 2014.

For up to the minute traffic information in the St. Louis metro area, check the KTRS.com traffic tab.

Drivers traveling into other parts of Missouri and Illinois can get information about road conditions from both state's transportation departments.

Missouri drivers can find updated road conditions at the MoDOT website.

Illinois drivers should check the Getting Around Illinois website.

Interstates in the immediate St. Louis area were still partially snow-covered at 3:00 a.m. Monday, but continue to improve.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Department of Transportation has issued a travel advisory for the weekend because of anticipated snowfalls of up to 3 inches per hour that could make driving nearly impossible at times.

Rain is expected to turn to snow Saturday afternoon across the state, posing a risk for travelers because of the rate of snowfall and lack of visibility. The storm is expected to continue until about noon Sunday in the western part of Missouri and taper off across the state throughout the day.

MoDOT spokesman Dan Niec says the storm will be just as challenging as two in late February that each dropped a foot of snow on the region.

He says the Transportation Department posts road conditions on its website, www.modot.org, which is updated continuously as conditions change.

The head of Missouri's Department of Transportation has unexpectedly resigned.

Kevin Keith is taking a leave of absence effective immediately and will retire July 1. Dave Nichols, MoDOT's Chief Engineer Dave Nichols will serve as the interim director for at least a year while MoDOT searches for a permanent replacement.

MoDOT is telling drivers, some temporary pain will be worth the permanent traffic relief.

The plan is to add another lane to southbound Interstate 270 between Manchester Road and Interstate 44.

Starting March 18 and continuing through April, crews will begin closing all lanes twice a day for 15 minutes at a time, while they blast to make room for the new lane.

This is similar to work that was done to add a lane on northbound 270 last summer.

District Engineer Ed Hassinger tells KTRS News, that addition has subtracted time from drivers' morning commutes, "The traffic volumes have increased and the speeds on northbound 270 have gone up anywhere from 10-15 miles an hour during the worst time, during rush hour."

The new lane on southboun 270 should be open by December.

Evening rush will be slowed in one direction on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge.

MoDOT has closed one lane of Westbound I-255 on the bridge for urgent repairs. Crews are working to repair a bridge joint. Drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.

Work should be finished in time for the Friday morning rush.

A light dusting of snow has transportation officials monitoring road temperatures and condtions overnight.

St. Louis County and St. Louis City street crews pre-treated the roads Thursday evening in an effort to prevent any morning rush hour surprises. But both MoDOT and IDOT officials decided to wait and monitor. Both transportation departments say they'll adjust as conditions warrant.

At midnight, road temperature sensors were showing the interstates all above freezing. But drivers are being cautioned to use extra care on elevated roadways, ramps and bridges.

A major winter storm is moving across the state, and MoDOT has issued a "no travel advisory" in western, northern, and central Missouri.

The highest accumulations are expected anywhere from Kansas City, through Columbia, and up to Kirksville. Up to 13 inches of snow could fall in those areas. MoDOT says everyone should avoid travel unless it is an emergency. Crews need open roads to speed up the removal of snow during and after the storm. Mizzou has announced they will be closed Tuesday in anticipation of the storm.

St. Louis is expected to receive between 1" and 3" of snow.

MoDOT has detailed ramp closures this weekend due to Mardi Gras activities.

Saturday ramps in both directions of 55 will close at Arsenal and Gravois, as well as the northbound 55 ramp to 3200 Broadway. Those ramps will all be closed from 6AM to 4PM. The eastbound I-70 ramp to Broadway will be closed from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. for the Fat Tuesday parade and activities. A complete list of closures can be found below:

On February 11 once a day closures of I-64 will begin at the new I-64 Daniel Boone Missouri River Bridge to blast rock adjacent to the eastbound lanes on the St. Charles County end of the bridge. Traffic will be stopped for up to 10 minutes at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. weekdays for about one month.

The following lane closures are all weather permitting:

Thursday, February 7 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the express lanes will be closed I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge. I-70, St. Charles County, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., one lane closed in either direction just east of Mid Rivers Mall Drive. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Friday, February 8 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the express lanes will be closed I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. one lane closed on eastbound from Halls Ferry to Route 367. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge.

Saturday, February 9 I-64, St. Louis City, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., one lane closed on eastbound I-64 from 14th Street to the Poplar Street Bridge I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one right lane closed from Research Park to the Daniel Boone Bridge.

Sunday, February 10 No work zones planned

Monday, February 11 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-44, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., two right lanes closed eastbound at Berry Road. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. one lane closed on southbound from McDonnell to Route 370. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Tuesday, February 12 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-255, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one lane closed on northbound at the JB Bridge. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.

Wednesday, February 13 I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Madison ramp from westbound I-70 will be closed. I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one right lane closed westbound from Biddle to Branch. I-64, St. Louis and St. Charles County, 10 a.m. and/or 2 p.m., all lanes closed from Boones Crossing to Route 94 for up to 15 minutes for blasting I-255, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one lane closed on northbound at the JB Bridge. I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. one lane closed on southbound from McDonnell to Route 370. Route 109, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right through lane on southbound will be closed. Route 141, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single lane closures on Route 340 (Olive Boulevard) and ramps. I-55, Jefferson County, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., one left lane closed southbound at Route 67.