MoDOT engineers designed new structures to replace the current structures over the West Locust Creek and Elm Branch bridges. As part of the design process, an online public meeting was held to gather input from Missourians about the design, proposed construction period and proposed detour routes for both bridge replacements.
The project was let in January 2018 allowing contractors to submit competitive bids for both projects. The projects were let in combination, meaning the contractor submitted one bid for the total cost of both projects.
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission reviewed the bids and awarded the bid to Boone Construction Company at their February 2018 meeting.
The contractor is allowed to begin work as early as March 2018, but it may begin as late as August. They plan to close the West Locust Creek Bridge on June 18 and Elm Branch Bridge on June 25. They hope to be able to open both bridges by the end of September.
The West Locust Creek Bridge closed June 18, 2018.
The Elm Branch Bridge closed June 25, 2018.
The bridges were anticipated to open at the end of September. Rain, flooding and an early snow in October have delayed the opening until Nov. 5. The contractor hopes to have both bridges open and traffic flowing normally on or before that date. The contract completion date is December 2018.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why is MoDOT closing the road during construction?
A. Closing the road at both bridges saves taxpayer money by allowing the contractor to work more efficiently. This will result in a shorter construction period. The roadway between the bridges will remain open during construction.
Q. How long will the road be closed?
A. Up to four months is allowed by contract.
Q. What is the detour?
A. We plan to sign a detour over Routes 5, 6 and U.S. Route 65.
You can view a map of the detour HERE.
A shorter detour was considered, but the roads and bridges on the shorter route would not accomodate the large volume of truck traffic that U.S. Route 136 carries.
Q. Why not build a bypass?
A. Based on the cost/benefit ration, building a bypass would not be a prudent use of taxpayer funds. A bypass also could have negative impacts and disruption to private property.
For more information about this or other MoDOT projects, please contact our 24-hour Customer Service line at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or sign up for alerts straight to your inbox at email/text updates.