MoDOT begins construction on Rocheport Bridge connecting Boone and Cooper counties
COLLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)
MoDOT has now began their work on replacing the Rocheport Bridge that connects Boone and Cooper Counties.
MoDOT said the bridge was in need of major rehabilitation that would have required them change I-70 traffic to one-lane in each direction for an extended period of time, potentially causing 3 to 8-hour backups.
The new design includes two bridges, one in each direction of travel and both will be three lanes.
MoDOT has been clearing the area around the bridge to create access points to bring in equipment and begin working. They said with the water freezing over and the cold weather, getting to the Missouri River where the bridge towers over has been a challenge.
In the next couple of weeks, crews will being blasting the bridge and they will set up rolling road blocks. With the help of Missouri State Highway Patrol, MoDOT says crews will keep traffic safely away from the blast zone, so they keep moving.
One of the goals for MoDOT when building the new bridge is to provide a high quality, durable, low maintenance project that improves safety and reliability.
They plan to treat the new bridge with a high friction surface treatment so vehicles will have traction and they estimate they will reduces crashes by 50% on the bridge with the new design.
Brandi Baldwyn, project director for the bridge, says the new size of the bridge should assist in crash prevention.
"Its going to be a much wider bridge where there is more room for error and people can maybe recover better and really reduce those accidents and incidents on the bridge," Baldwyn said.
Weston Harvey, a resident of Boonville says a traffic slow down is worth it if its going to make everyone's travels better in the future.
"I feel it will be a better and safer travel for those who do travel day to day. Though its inconvenient right now i feel like in the long run it will be much better, " said Harvey
MoDOT says the new Missouri River Bridge will cost approximately $240 million and will provide a safe and reliable bridge for interstate travelers for the next 100 years.
They said it was funded in part by an $81.2 million INFRA Grant, the largest competitive grant ever received by MoDOT.
To say up to date with the Rocheport Bridge progression, go to modot.org/RocheportBridge
