NORMAL — If you routinely travel across the Fell Avenue or Broadway railroad crossings, you’ll need to change your route starting Thursday. The two crossings will be closed until July 8 so Union Pacific Railroad workers can install high-speed rails.

Town Engineer Gene Brown said northbound Fell and Broadway traffic will be detoured using Vernon Avenue and Beaufort Street. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Beaufort, Linden Street and Vernon. Signs will be posted.

Crews will install the new line by hand rather than using the Track Renewal Train, which has been used on the bulk of the rest of the project upgrading the line from St. Louis to near Dwight.

The $1.1 billion Federal Railroad Administration-funded upgrade will allow Amtrak trains to travel up to 110 mph — 31 mph faster than the average current speed.

Uptown Development Director Wayne Aldrich said Union Pacific has assured him that the Fell and Broadway work will be completed and the crossings open in time for Sugar Creek Arts Festival July 9 and 10. If the work isn’t finished, Aldrich said the railroad will have temporary crossings in place for festival traffic.