Dunklin St. bridge in poor condition

The Dunklin Street bridge in Jefferson City is structurally deficient.

This morning Jefferson City Public Works met with MODOT to talk about the issues that need to be fixed on the bridge.

The concrete on and underneath the bridge is cracking and there is debris under the bridge.

Wires are also exposed in several areas above and below the bridge.

The entire project will cost $1.5 million dollars.

However, Public Works will not replace the bridge until 2017 or later.

“Typically, things like that are funded out of our half cent capitol improvement sales tax,” said Matt Morasch with Public Works.

Jefferson City has committed its current tax revenue to other projects until 2017.

MODOT posted a weight limit of thirty tons on the bridge over a year ago.

It said the bridge is in poor condition and repairing it would not be cost effective.

“Once you load post a bridge it continues to deteriorate over time… It doesn’t mean it’s falling down or anything like that,” said Morasch.

There are only three bridges in Jefferson City that are load posted.

Morasch said initially their biggest concern was the beer distributor trucks that are based next to the bridge and use it often.

They said their trucks don’t weigh enough to have to find a different route.

On average eight thousand people travel the Dunklin Street Bridge each day.

The bridge is over one hundred years old.