SPRINGFIELD -- Westbound U.S. 60 is scheduled to be closed Tuesday night and Wednesday night for continued repairs on the southbound U.S. 65 bridge over U.S. 60.

A truck driver carrying an oversized load damaged the southbound U.S. 65 bridge 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:

* Westbound U.S. 60 traffic will be directed north on U.S. 65 starting about 7:30 each evening and ending about 5 the next morning.   Westbound U.S. 60 drivers detoured north on U.S. 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 U.S. 60.

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

* The southbound U.S. 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 will remain closed until the repairs are complete.

* Eastbound U.S. 60 underneath the U.S. 65 bridges will remain open.  Drivers approaching the U.S. 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 U.S. 65 bridges.

* Two MoDOT bridge maintenance crews out of Jefferson City are making repairs on the southbound U.S. 65 bridge girders. The workers use heat and jacks to straighten the bent section of each of the three damaged steel girders.