Overnight possession sends US bridge to meet its maker.
A bridge over the I-44 highway close to Springfield (no, not this one) has been felled in an overnight blast in readiness for the construction of a new replacement.
It’s a project some believe is long overdue. “The bridge was built in 1960. The bridge is still structurally sound on the footings and the foundation but it’s the bridge deck where the rating has dropped down to a level 4 out of a level 10,” says MODOT engineer Brad Gripka.
Over the years the bridge has undergone many costly repairs but has never been replaced and the temporary fixes just aren’t enough. The bridge is only 15ft, 7 in tall. Federal standards require Missouri bridges to be at least 16 feet tall.
“What we are doing is increasing the height as well as adding the additional lanes on the bridge to help accommodate for future expansion there at the Republic Industrial Park and as well as for the stockyards,” said Gripka.
