St. Charles residents are invited to attend one of four upcoming meetings about the Blanchette Bridge replacement, scheduled to start in late November. 

Tom Evers, area engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation, will speak to residents about the planned demolition of the westbound bridge, which is expected to happen in late November. 

Walsh Construction Co. is expected to close the westbound span of the Blanchette Bridge starting in November 2012 as part of a major rehabilitation project. The steel truss will be replaced in this $63 million project that's expected to last two years total.

Soon after the westbound span is closed, westbound traffic will be diverted onto the eastbound bridge. The bridge will be re-striped into three, 10-foot-wide lanes in each direction.

After crossing the river, traffic will be diverted back to westbound I-70.

The project is expected to take one year. 

Meetings are open to anyone from the city:

• 7 p.m. Aug. 6, Memorial Hall at Blanchette Park, for wards 7, 9, 10
• 6:30 p.m. Aug. 15, council chambers at St. Charles City Hall, for wards 1 and 2
• 7 p.m. Aug. 22, St. Charles West High School, for wards 6 and 8
• 6:30 p.m. St. Charles Police Department, for wards 3, 4, and 5

Read our earlier stories about the Blanchette Bridge closure:

• Q & A: Business Owners Ask Questions About Blanchette Bridge Lane Closure
• Business Owners Brace for Blanchette Bridge Lane Closure
• MoDOT Awards Contract for I-70 Blanchette Bridge