Motorists on Missouri 17 will have to take a detour to cross U.S. 54 for about three weeks during summer 2019, but traffic on the four-lane highway and its exit ramps should be unimpeded.
The Missouri Department of Transportation held a public meeting Wednesday at Eugene High School to help people learn more about plans to rehabilitate nine bridges in Cole and Miller counties. The approximately $4 million project will include the Missouri 17 bridge and eight bridges on U.S. 54. Work on the U.S. 54 bridges will begin this fall and extend through summer 2019.
"There is money set aside for asset management plans, which are basically taking care of the bridges before they get in too bad of shape and need to be replaced," Transportation project manager Troy Hughes said. "This should extend the life of the bridges another 25 or 30 years."
Hughes said the bridges are between Eugene and Lake Ozark. MoDOT's biggest project will be the Missouri 17 bridge over U.S. 54, an overpass north of Eugene built in 1972. He estimated the Missouri 17 bridge project could cost $500,000-$600,000. The repairs will begin after Memorial Day 2019 to avoid greatly impacting the nearby school. MoDOT employees will resurface the highway and repair the bridge's girders and concrete slope protection. The closure will last about three weeks, and the bridge is expected to be complete by the end of June 2019.
Those traveling north on Missouri 17 will have to take a detour by turning right onto U.S. 54 and travel northeast 4 miles to turn around at Penny Hollow Road. Those traveling south on Missouri 17 will have to turn right onto U.S. 54 and travel southeast for 1.75 miles to turn around at Route AA.
Hughes said the eight U.S. 54 bridges will only have one lane closed at a time to resurface the bridges' traffic lanes and make other repairs. The U.S. 54 bridges include the westbound bridge over Little Gravois Creek, built in 1966; the eastbound and westbound bridges over Wrights Creek, both built in 1972; eastbound and westbound bridges over Old Tuscumbia Road, both built in 1973; the eastbound bridge east of Missouri 87, built in 1973; and the eastbound and westbound bridges over Business 54, both built in 1973.
Those who would like to learn more can contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT or visit modot.org/central.