Date set for bridge construction

Work on
a new Taneycomo Bridge could begin in early December, state officials said.

By Mindy Honey
Society Editor
Originally published Nov. 14, 2009

The state says construction of a new Taneycomo Bridge is expected to begin Dec. 7, with blasting not too far behind.

Earlier this month, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved a $12.2 million bid from Jensen Construction Co. to construct the bridge and a roundabout. Blasting on a bluff on the Hollister side could begin in late December.

“There are going to be delays and traffic backups in that area,” said Chad Zickefoose, Missouri Department of Transportation project manager.

He said that while the area will be a construction zone over the next two years, when the project is complete, Hollister and Branson will have safer roads and that traffic will flow more efficiently.

“To me, this always was important because it wasn’t just about tourism,” Alderman Stan Barker said. “It was about the folks who live on the east side of the county that work over in Branson. When you see them sitting on the bridge in traffic, they are burning gas they don’t need to be burning. These people work hard for the dollars they get. This will be a great improvement.”

If motorists have an alternate route and are able to avoid the bridge area, Zickefoose said MoDOT would suggest taking that other route.

The contractor will be allowed to stop traffic for up to 10 minutes at a time. Any longer and the contractor will be fined $96 a minute, he said.

Between the hours of 6 a.m.-9 p.m., MoDOT is requiring the contractor to have two-way traffic open at all times, except to temporarily shut down the road to blast or move equipment.

“Between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., the contractor will be allowed to go down to one lane with flagging operations,” he said.

Zickefoose expects the new bridge and a large portion of the roundabout, which will replace signal lights on the east side of the bridge, to be complete by the end of 2010.

In 2011, motorists will be redirected over the new bridge and the 1931 Taneycomo Bridge will be redecked.

Redecking includes replacing the top portion of the bridge, including the driving surface, walkways and railings. The 78-year-old bridge has a two walkways and a 20-foot, two-way driving surface.

When the bridge is redecked, there will be one five-foot walkway on the upstream side of the bridge and the two-way driving surface will be widened to 24 feet.

“The old bridge was so narrow,” Zickefoose said. “Today’s standard width we like to shot for is a minimum of 12 foot driving lanes. It will be safer.”

The total project is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

“Basically, we are talking by 2012, we will be driving both bridges,” Barker said.