Ribbon-cutting to celebrate Dunklin Street bridge reopening

Decorative lighting has been installed on the Dunklin Street bridge to complete the project. Work to replace the bridge started in 2019, but due to flood water backed up in Wears Creek, that portion of the project had to be delayed until this spring. Meanwhile, crews worked to install new stormwater drains, curb and gutter, and more. This spring, the project resumed and is now complete. The new, wider bridge includes a sidewalk on the south side and Greenway path on the north side of the bridge. Due to Monday's storm creating a dark sky, the lights came on midday and drawing attention to them.
Decorative lighting has been installed on the Dunklin Street bridge to complete the project. Work to replace the bridge started in 2019, but due to flood water backed up in Wears Creek, that portion of the project had to be delayed until this spring. Meanwhile, crews worked to install new stormwater drains, curb and gutter, and more. This spring, the project resumed and is now complete. The new, wider bridge includes a sidewalk on the south side and Greenway path on the north side of the bridge. Due to Monday's storm creating a dark sky, the lights came on midday and drawing attention to them.

After more than a year of work, Jefferson City will celebrate the reopening of the Dunklin Street bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday.

Improvements to the 300-500 blocks of West Dunklin Street included a new bridge; added bike lanes, sidewalk and greenway trails; and improved stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.

Construction on the project first began in April 2019 but was delayed over the winter by weather issues and flooding along Wears Creek. The flooding in particular delayed work on the sewer and stormwater aspects of the project because new sewer lines and pipes couldn't be placed while the water level was high.

The bridge reopened to traffic in mid-July after multiple road closures throughout construction.

The $2.6 million project was approved by the Jefferson City Council in April 2019. The city and Cole County agreed to split the cost, which came from the city and county's capital improvement sales tax and sewer enterprise fund.

The main contractor on the project was Don Schnieders Excavating Company.

City Engineer David Bange said the project is almost entirely complete, with just a few small things left to be done.

The ribbon-cutting event will include remarks from Bange, Mayor Carrie Tergin and a member of the Cole County Commission, as well as a ceremonial ribbon-cutting by the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce.

The ceremony will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Dunklin Street Trailhead parking lot on the northern end of the Dunklin Street bridge.

Parking will be available along Mulberry Street.