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Deteriorating Columbia Bridges to be Reconstructed

Thebes Bridge
File Photo
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KBIA

  One of the ten worst bridges in the state is in Boone County, according to a Washington, D.C., based organization that crunches data from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Its report says the I-70 bridge that goes over Business Loop 70 in Columbia was built in 1957 and has structural deficiencies.

Travis Koestner is the Assistant District Engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s central district.  He said MODOT will replace that bridge and two others in Columbia.

“We do some minor patches and repairs to them, but they’re really beyond a condition where we can do a major rehab," Koestner said. "You know the bridges are safe but it’s really not cost effective to do a rehab on what is there, that’s why we’re moving forward with this project to totally replace the bridges."

Koestner said they have narrowed down the search for a contractor to do the projects.   It’s expected to cost about 18 million dollars and construction is expected to begin this fall.   

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