MoDOT’s planned work on Sorrels Overpass moved up after I-70 crash Monday

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation has been planning to rebuild the Sorrels Overpass in 2022. However, the timeline has been moved up after a truck crashed into the bridge Monday afternoon.

According to MoDOT, the original rehabilitation plan was necessary to improve the condition of the bridge and extend its life by 30 years.

The plan included replacing the girders and deck and installing safety barrier curbs. MoDOT Central District Area Engineer Kirsten Munck said the bridge would be raised 18 inches over I-70 and the roadway would be 2 feet wider. 

"Rehabilitation of the bridge and that work did include removing the existing superstructure which includes all the girders, the barrings the deck, the bridge rails the curbs and replacing everything above the columns," Munck said.

Before the crash on Monday, MoDOT had already rated the Sorrels Overpass in poor condition. Bridges are rated on a nine-point scale, with 9 being a new bridge and 2 being a closed bridge. Missouri’s poor bridges carry a rating of 4 or less.

"The bridge is currently 63 years old so its ready to have some rehabilitation done on it, you go through the bridge ratings and determine life expectancy and such so we will plan to reuse portions of the bridge that are still in good condition," Munck said.

MoDOT currently has 837 bridges that have been rated “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria.

Officials said this project will impact traffic. The Sorrels Overpass will remain closed at the bridge during construction, and there will also be temporary lane closures along I-70.

The 2022 plan said the entire project would cost $1 million. The cost of the emergency repairs is unclear.