Taney/Stone Counties – The Long Creek bridge which carries Missouri Route 86 across Table Rock Lake will be reduced to one-lane during the week of July 22 during an annual, routine safety inspection, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.
Drivers can expect one-lane traffic with flaggers directing them across the Long Creek bridge from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, July 22-25. The open lane will be narrowed to 10 feet.
Crews from MoDOT’s Central Office will use a specialized piece of equipment called a “snooper” truck to do the inspection which is also required by the Federal Highway Administration and must be completed by the end of July.
Originally, MoDOT had planned to conduct the inspection while the bridge was closed in early June for urgent repairs. However due to the quick completion of the repairs and flooding in other parts of the state which caused disruptions in the major bridge inspection cycle, the inspection could not take place while the bridge was closed. (There are only three inspection crews that conduct safety inspections of the state’s major bridges, which are bridges longer than 1,000 feet. The Long Creek bridge is classified as a major bridge in Missouri.)
Following the urgent repairs in June, it is not anticipated that there will be a need for any follow up repairs other than routine maintenance to repair potholes that develop on the bridge deck (driving surface).
Weather and/or scheduling issues could alter the work schedule.
The Long Creek bridge is scheduled to be replaced with a new bridge located south of the existing bridge. Construction could begin as early as 2022.
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(For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest)
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