Jasper County – Drivers should look for alternate routes when Missouri Route 43 at the North Fork Spring River bridge north of Joplin CLOSES beginning the week of March 9 for a rehabilitation project, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.
Contractor crews will remove the bridge deck/driving surface and replace it with a new surface.
In addition to the new bridge deck, the contractor will paint the bridge girders, and add permanent pavement markings and object markers at either end of the bridge.
The bridge will remain closed for up to 160 days to complete the work.
The current structure was built in 1971 and is experiencing increasing deterioration. Approximately 3,200 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
Traffic impacts:
- All lanes of Missouri Route 43 will be CLOSED beginning the week of March 9 for the duration of the project
- Drivers will have access to entrances at either end of the bridge, but will not be able to drive through the work zone
- Drivers will be directed along a signed detour using Route 43, Missouri Route 96 and Missouri Route 171 and Jasper County Route M
- Drivers are urged to find alternate routes around the project
- Signs and message boards will alert drivers to the bridge closing
- Check MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map for road closings/traffic impacts
Weather and/or scheduling conflicts could alter the work schedule.
This is part of a larger project that includes rehabilitation of the Missouri Route 43/Spring River and Jasper County Route M/Duval Creek bridges. Work on the Route 43/Spring River bridge will begin when the North Fork Spring River bridge is complete. The Route M bridge was completed last fall. For more information on the project, see the project website here.
Project information:
- Prime contractor – West Plains Bridge & Grading LLC, West Plains
- Total project cost: $3.2 million
- Contract completion date: December 1, 2026
For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest
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