Work is scheduled to begin April 22 on a project to replace a bridge over a tributary of the Joachim Creek on McGehan Road, which connects Hwy. E and Hardin Road south of De Soto.
Jefferson County Public Works Director Jason Jonas said the portion of McGehan Road that includes the bridge will be closed to traffic when construction starts.
Crews from Gershenson Construction Co. in Eureka are scheduled to finish by the end of the summer or early fall, he said.
Jonas said the bridge is in the center of the more than 1-mile stretch of the road, so those living on the east side of the bridge will use Hardin Road as an alternate route, while those on the west side will use Hwy. E.
Fewer than 100 cars per day use the road, which has about a dozen homes on it, Jonas said.
He said the bridge needs to be replaced.
“It’s a standard small creek bridge that’s in bad shape,” he said.
The steel girder structure is about 33 years old and will be replaced by a concrete spread box beam bridge. In addition, the portions of McGehan Road leading up to the bridge will be repaved, guardrails will be installed, the grading leading up to the structure will be improved and work will be done to improve the creek channel.
Gershenson was the lowest of three bidders for the project, estimated to cost $796,311, with 80 percent of the design and construction costs to be covered with federal funds and the rest with the county’s share of a 1/2-cent countywide sales tax for road and bridge improvements.