Work to make a Liberty Road bridge in Cole County a two-way bridge starts Monday.
County public works officials said Liberty Road at Rising Creek, just east of the intersection, will be closed for three months.
The Cole County Commission approved a contract in October to replace the bridge, and the funds to pay for it will come out of the county's half-cent capital improvements sales tax.
Commissioners approved the low bid from Brenneke Construction of $413,179.
County Engineer Eric Landwehr said the bid came in $33,000 above the engineer's estimate. They aren't getting as many competitive bids, as they have in the past, because the economy is better and there are fewer contractors. Those contractors who are working are busy right now, and many contractors are busy with MoDOT projects, he said.
Landwehr said the department had budgeted a total of $400,000-$450,000 for the project, and the engineering work will cost $85,000-$90,000.
All the work on the project must be done by April 15.
Landwehr added Water District No. 4 also plans to replace a water line in the area of the bridge work. Twehous Excavating will do that work, which is being paid for by the district for a cost of $77,905, the low bid.