Historic Bridge -- Mussel Fork Bridge, K0304
Bridge Location
County: Adair
Route: Highway 11
Feature Crossed: Mussel Fork
Other: approximately 16 miles SW of Junction of Routes 63 and 11, south of Kirksville
Bridge No: K0304
Bridge Information
Owner: Mo. Highways & Transportation Commission
Type: Pony Truss
Length: 197' total length; 100 pony truss span
Width: 20' roadway width
Year Built: 1933
Builder: M. E. Gillioz
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 K0304 is a Warren pony truss (mismatched truss subtype) with a 100’ pony truss span and a 47’ wide flange girder approach span on each end. The bridge has timber pile abutments with wing walls and timber pile bents with concrete bent caps. The bridge has a 20’ wide concrete deck with asphalt wearing surface, concrete curbs and two-tier channel railing.
Five sections of improvements to Route 11 between Kirksville and the county line were advertised in early 1933. Bids were received on May 19, 1933. M. E. Gillioz of Monett was the low bidder on all five sections. Section 5 included building bridges K0304 and K0305. The bid for this section was $62,116.58. The project was completed on April 3, 1934.
Bridge K0304 is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as an example of the unusual mismatched warren pony truss subtype.
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.