Historic Bridge--Byrd Creek Bridge

Bridge Location

County: Cape Girardeau

Road: Route D

Feature Crossed: Byrd Creek

Other Location Information: approximately 6 miles NW of Junction of Routes 61 and 25 in Jackson

Bridge Number: P0734

Bridge Information

Owner: Mo. Highways & Transportation Commission

Type: Pony Truss

Length: 175' total length, 90' pony truss span

Width: 20' roadway width

Year Built: 1954

For further information contact:

Karen L. Daniels, Senior Historic Preservation Specialist

Missouri Department of Transportation

P. O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102

Karen.Daniels@modot.mo.gov

573-526-7346

Description & Significance:

Bridge P0734 is a 1954, 8-panel, Warren all verticals pony truss on Route D over Byrd Creek in Cape Girardeau County. The bridge has a 90’ long pony truss span and is 175’ long overall and a 20’ wide roadway. Two wide flange girder approach spans on the north end (27’ and 28’ in length) and one on the south end (27’). The bridge has concrete abutments, concrete pile bents, and concrete piers with web walls. The bridge has a 27-degree skew. The bridge has a two-tier channel railing.

The plans for Bridge P0734 indicate to reuse Truss G865, from Scott County, Route 61. Project history maps indicate that this bridge was likely constructed in 1924 or 1925 and was likely removed in 1952. The reuse of bridges from major highways on the supplementary highway system was fairly common.

Bridge P0734 is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as a rare surviving example of the Warren all verticals pony truss type and for its association with the development of the supplementary highway system and the reuse of bridges that part of the development.

MoDOT’s Historic Preservation Section is now accepting proposals for the relocation and reuse of the bridge or its components until December 31, 2021. A proposal checklist is available MoDOT’s Free Bridges website (http://www.modot.org/freebridges/). Preservation covenants may accompany the bridge.