Capital Paving and Construction will start work Wednesday on a project that will replace the deck on and widen the southbound U.S. Route 63 bridge over the Katy Trail in Callaway County.The bridge is located approximately four miles north of Jefferson City. The preliminary work, which will take place at night, involves building crossover lanes that will eventually carry southbound traffic to the northbound lanes.Motorists should expect nightly lane closures in both directions from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. One lane in each direction will be open at all times.The southbound bridge is expected to close in early to mid-June. At that time, southbound Route 63 traffic will be switched to northbound Route 63, which will carry one lane of traffic in each direction.The entire project is scheduled to be completed in September, with the goal of opening the southbound bridge before the total solar eclipse takes place on Aug. 21.“We know Columbia and Jefferson City and other communities are planning big events around the total solar eclipse and that many people will be traveling mid-Missouri highways to view this rare occurrence,” said Missouri Department of Transportation Central District Engineer David Silvester. “We are hoping to have the bridge open by then to help ensure smooth travels.”Some occasional overhead work on the bridge will also require full and partial closures of the Katy Trail to bicycle and pedestrian traffic during weekday hours.In addition to the new deck, which will make the bridge a little wider, the project will bring the guardrail and bridge barrier on the southbound structure up to current standards.The work will allow the bridge, which is more than 60 years old, to provide an additional 20 to 30 years of service.The northbound Highway 63 bridge over the Katy Trail is in good condition. No work is planned for it at this time.Katy Trail State Park