Summary Box: Construction of new Mississippi River bridge at St. Louis to press on

Summary Box: Building of river bridge to press on

THE PLAN: A new four-lane, cable-stayed Mississippi River bridge between Missouri and Illinois at St. Louis is expected to cost $670 million.

THE PROGRESS: Officials say construction will get under way on the span despite Friday’s cancellation of a ceremonial groundbreaking after federal officials couldn’t make it out of Washington because of the weather.

THE PROMISE: Once completed, expected in the middle part of this decade, the bridge is meant to divert Interstate 70 traffic from an existing bridge and ease snarls at one of the nation’s busiest crossings.