Since 2008, there have been four construction-related shutdowns of Highway 79 between Hannibal and Elsberry.

Now, the Missouri Department of Transportation is planning for four more in the next three years.

The next closure will come in late July, when Highway 79 shuts down just north of Clarksville for replacement of the 80-year-old Big Calumet Creek Bridge. A public meeting to outline the project will be held in June.

The replacement will cost an estimated one-point-five million dollars, and keep the road blocked until after several popular events, such as Clarksville’s Applefest in October.

Three other aging Highway 79 crossings are on the list for repair or replacement by 2018. While many people are thankful for the work, they’re also concerned about the economic impact of forcing delivery drivers, tourists and other motorists to detour for months on end.

At the same time, people in other parts of Northeast Missouri have grumbled that the state is spending too much of its limited construction budget on Highway 79.

A spokeswoman says the highway is getting so much attention because of the need and the fact that the state considers it a primary road through the region.