DEARBORN, MO - The Missouri Department of Transportation has completed the Route H Bridge over I-29 near Dearborn, the first Platte County Safe & Sound Bridge one week ahead of schedule. This was the first Safe & Sound Bridge closed in the Kansas City area. The bridge reopened to traffic on Friday, May 8. A ribbon cutting celebration on Thursday, May 14 signalized the completion of this bridge. County Commissioners Betty Knight and Jim Plunkett were among those attending the ceremony.

The contractor, L.G. Barcus and Sons was awarded the contract in April. An extensive amount of night work and good weather made it possible to speed up work. Although they were given 54 days to complete the bridge and open the road up for motorists, the work was finished one week ahead of schedule. Workers will still be present as they continue the finishing touches on the bridge below. 

            The Safe and Sound Bridge Program will improve 800 of Missouri's worst bridges in five years.  In the Kansas City area, MoDOT will replace or repair 145 bridges, with 15 in the Platte County area.  MoDOT began repairs on the Platte County Route H Bridge over I-29 (AO103) on March 19. Complete bridge closure was necessary as it allowed the contractor to complete the work quickly and get the bridge back open faster. It also keeps our costs down by minimizing the need for additional right of way and for costly roadway work. Every bridge that's closed during construction allows us to work on another bridge in need of attention. Once construction begins, the contractor has 60 days or less to complete the work.

            There are 10,249 bridges in the Missouri state highway system, the 7^th largest total nationwide. Approximately 1,100 of them are in poor/serious condition. The Safe & Sound Initiative will address most of these ailing bridges.

For more information about the Safe and Sound Bridge Program, please visit our website at http://www.modot.mo.gov/safeandsound/index.htm.