The Missouri Department of Transportation recently found the Allenton Bridge to be structurally unsound, forcing Eureka officials to close the bridge to traffic.
The permanent closure will go into effect on Thursday, Dec. 19, according to a written statement released today, Dec. 11, from the city.
“This closure will result in a longer commute for residents in the Allenton area, and likely increase traffic at the intersection of Central Avenue and Main Street,” according to the statement. “We request that residents of the Legends Subdivision use Legends Parkway as opposed to West Main Street after the closure to help with traffic flow in the area.”
Onsite signage will be posted near the bridge this week, and the Police and Public Works Departments will monitor the situation closely, according to the release.
Mayor Sean Flower said in a statement on Oct. 29 that the Allenton Bridge replacement project was put on hold due to higher-than-expected construction costs. The project would have widened the bridge and included a pedestrian lane to accommodate more traffic flow.
“We are continuing to seek bridge replacement funding from the State of Missouri, in addition to looking at other traffic improvements,” the city’s recent statement said. “Clearly this is not an ideal situation, but we have limited short-term options to deal with the closure.”