Bridge Location
County: Bates
Road: B
Feature Crossed: Marias des Cygnes
Other Location Information: approximately 3.5 miles east of Rich Hill
Bridge Information
Owner: Missouri Department of Transportation
Type: Warren Polygonal Pony Truss
Length: Truss 110'
Year Built: 1934
Builder: Otto W. Knutson
Current Load Rating: 13 tons
For further information, contact
Name: Ashley Porter, Intermediate Historic Preservation Specialist
Organization: Missouri Department of Transportation
Address: P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102
E-mail: Ashley.Porter@modot.mo.gov
Phone: 573-508-2227
Narrative Description and Significance
The Marais des Cygnes River Bridge (T0280) is a 10-panel rigid connected Warren pony truss with polygonal upper chord located on Route B near Rich Hill in Bates County, Missouri. T0280 was built in 1934 and has a total structure length of 264’ with a truss length of 110’, skew of 24-degreess and roadway width of 20’. The bridge has three steel stringer approach spans and concrete abutments and piers. Bridge T0280 has a posted speed limit of 15 MPH for trucks weighing 13 tons and a weight limit of 28 tons for all other vehicles.
Bridge T0280 was designed by the Missouri State Highway Department and constructed by Otto W. Knutson with Illinois Steel Company being the steel fabricator.
Bridge T0280 is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under criteria C as a well-preserved example of a long span truss on the state system.
MoDOT is now accepting proposals for the relocation and reuse of the bridge or its components until May 11, 2021. A proposal checklist is available MoDOT’s Free Bridges website (https://www.modot.org/free-bridges ). Preservation covenants may accompany the bridge.