MoDOT, District 8, Springfield -- Northbound and southbound Route 65 traffic will be shifted away from the median and the speed limit reduced to 50 mph at the railroad bridges between Sunshine Street and Chestnut Expressway beginning the week of Nov. 8, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

Here's a look at the schedule:

* On Sunday after 7 p.m., the Route 65 traffic shift will take place at the railroad bridges between Sunshine Street and Chestnut Expressway.

* The contractor has postponed plans to shift traffic to the outside shoulders at the railroad bridges between Kearney Street and Division Street.

When traffic is shifted, the Route 65 speed limit will be reduced to 50 mph in the work zones.

The traffic shifts and speed limit will remain in place 'round the clock for several months.

Contractor crews will begin widening the bridges in the median of Route 65.

The traffic shift will begin 700 feet on either side of the bridges and two lanes will remain open in each direction.

Concrete barriers will be installed on the inside shoulders of Route 65 to protect workers and to keep drivers safe from construction hazards in case they vere toward the median.

Other Six-Laning Work

Drivers also are urged to obey another speed limit reduction along Route 65 -- the 45 mph zone between Route 60 and Battlefield Road whether workers are present or not -- where hazards exist in the median because of the nature of construction.

Contractor crews continue to install storm drain pipes and box culverts in the median of Route 65 between Route 60 and a point north of Battlefield Road. Much of the work is taking place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, with a lane of Route 65 closed in each direction.

Crews are blasting in the median between Battlefield Road and Sunshine Street. A charge is set off during the overnight hours between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. Traffic is slowed and stopped before and during a blast for safety reasons.

Here's a look at the project:

Project Background

* Adding a lane in each direction in the median, with a 7-foot wide median shoulder and a concrete barrier separating the northbound and southbound sides.

* Replacing two Route 65 bridges over the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad tracks south of Chestnut Expressway and re-decking the two Route 65 bridges over the BNSF tracks north of Division Street.

* Repairing an uplift that has created a bump in the pavement on both sides of Route 65 between Kearney Street and Division Street.

* Installing emergency reference markers. It's part of a plan to put up markers, similar to those in use along the interstate highways in the state, along Route 65 between the Missouri-Arkansas line and Springfield (and eventually Buffalo).

The prime contractor is Emery Sapp and Sons, Columbia.

MoDOT is partnering with the City of Springfield and Greene County on the $27 million project. MoDOT will provide $23.3 million, which includes Amendment 3, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal "economic stimulus") and MoDOT/Springfield District's normal funds. Springfield is putting $2 million in 1/8-cent transportation sales tax money into the project. Greene County is using $1.7 million in ARRA funds.

The six-laning project was expanded and accelerated after the economic stimulus funds became available and with the participation of Springfield and Greene County.