HANNIBAL – Weather permitting, the U.S. Route 54 bridge over the Mississippi River in Louisiana, known as the Champ Clark Bridge, will be closed on Monday, June 12 through Thursday, June 15 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to conduct the annual in-depth inspection. If the inspection is not complete due to weather, the bridge crew will open the bridge for the weekend, then close it again the following week,” explained Brian Haeffner, Missouri Department of Transportation area engineer. "Bridge crews out of Jefferson City will bring two Snooper trucks to help perform the inspection of the lower part of the bridge," he added.
“Safety concerns and the continued deterioration of the bridge require us to close the bridge during the inspection,” Haeffner explained. “We know this is inconvenient, but we are giving users of the bridge advance notice so they can plan accordingly,” Haeffner said.
Motorists are also reminded that the inspection results could require other immediate repairs that cause additional closure of the bridge. "We do not currently expect additional extended closures," said Haeffner, "but there is always a possibility the inspection could reveal issues that need to be addressed immediately. The public would be notified if anything additional is found.”
Update on Construction of a New Bridge
A new U.S. 54 Mississippi Bridge in Louisiana will be under construction later this year. “We anticipate the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission to award a design-build contract at its June 29 meeting, which will be held in Pike County, Missouri,” Haeffner said. Following the award, MoDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, and its contractor will establish a schedule for construction. The new bridge will cost around $63 million, and traffic will continue to utilize the old Champ Clark Bridge during construction. “Again, more details will be released later this year,” Haeffner said.
For information about the Champ Clark Bridge, visit www.champclarkbridge.com or call MoDOT customer service at 1-888-275-6636.