Over 800 Missouri bridges labeled ‘poor’
BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Route F bridge in Boone County that closed Monday is just the first of several closings along that road and Highway 124, as part of Missouri's initiatives to repair over 800 bridges given a "poor" rating.
Several bridges along Route F and Highway 124 will be closed at different increments throughout the summer and fall for maintenance.
Starting Monday, the Route F bridge over Perche Creek is closed for maintenance until Aug. 3. No detour will be marked and the Missouri Department of Transportation is asking drivers to plan an alternate route.
Several other Boone County bridges will close or move to a single lane for maintenance during the $1.5 million project. This is all part of a "bridge bundle" project the Department of Transportation started planning in 2022.
Route 124 over Grindstone Creek will be moved to a single lane July 25 through Aug. 1. Route F over Coon Creek will be closed from Aug. 7 through Oct. 23. Route F over Blaze Creek with have short-term lane closures from Oct. 10-16.
Work is expected to be completed by October of this year, but the contract requires all work to be done by Dec. 1. Weather or other unforeseen circumstances could delay work.
The Coon Creek and Perche Creek bridges were built 70 years ago in 1953. Both bridges are rated "poor" by the Department of Transportation and have speed and weight limits.
Over 800 bridges are labeled "poor" in a MoDOT report, meaning there are quote "significant condition issues requiring replacement or major rehab."
Missouri implemented the "Focus on Bridges" initiative in 2020. At the time there were over 900 bridges in "poor" condition. According to MoDOT, around 140Â were removed from the poor category in the past year, but almost 90Â more were added.
