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Sep 03rd
Home News Crawford County News Historic bridge could close soon
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Historic bridge could close soon Print E-mail
Thursday, 12 February 2009 10:53
    A historic bridge may not be open for much longer.     Crawford County road and bridge workers were on the Bird’s Nest Road bridge over the Meramec River on Thursday, Feb. 5 to repair parts of the old structure. Road co-foreman Danny Brown said the crew installed some new metal braces over the top, lubricated pins and replaced some boards.
    At the commission meeting on Monday, Commissioner Richard Martin said the bridge will be officially inspected by MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) on Feb. 17 and the state will have to approve the work just completed and determine the safety of the bridge for traffic.
    Commissioner John Hewkin said of the bridge, “It’s day is coming; it will get to the point where it’s not safe and will have to be closed.” He also explained there probably wouldn’t be a replacement built: “It’s not essential to be kept open and I don’t see the county having enough funds to build a new bridge there.”
    There is a possibility the old railroad bridge situated close to the current bridge could be converted as a one-way bridge for vehicle traffic, but if the scenic railway project in Crawford County becomes viable it would use that bridge for the rail system.
    Ed Worley, Presiding Commissioner, said there are grants available for historical bridges, but according to the research he’s done, they are costly. Most grants require matching funds, and the higher the cost involved in the restoration, the higher the cost to the county. Martin added there is a possibility of a historical society that might take the bridge on as a project.
    Another discussion has been whether the current bridge could be changed into a foot-traffic-only crossing, but that would require other standards to be met. And Hewkin said then it becomes a matter of “how much money do you want to spend on it?”
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Last Updated on Thursday, 05 March 2009 12:13
 
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