Work to replace a closed Route VV bridge over the BNSF Railway in Macon County could begin as early as Oct. 15 under a $3.5 million contract, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.
The bridge is about 0.4 miles south of Arctic Road, according to a MoDOT Northeast District news release issued Friday, Oct. 2. It is closest to New Cambria, said Emily Edgar, a MoDOT area engineer.
MoDOT closed the route in 2024 after a routine bridge inspection found deterioration and deficiencies in the structure, the release says. The traveler information map lists the closure, in both directions, as reported at 9:49 a.m. May 24, 2024, with the road closed until further notice.
Route VV will stay closed from Arctic Road to Bison Street during reconstruction, with signs and barricades in place, according to the release. MoDOT advised drivers to keep using alternate routes.
"No signed detour has been planned for this bridge closure," Edgar said in answers to questions emailed Tuesday through MoDOT's Northeast District communications office.
Edgar said the work will not affect BNSF train traffic or roads beyond the closed stretch. MoDOT did not have details Tuesday on how the new bridge's width, length or weight limits will compare with the old one.
The contract went to Louis-Company LLC, the release says. The start depends on the weather, and all work is scheduled to be finished by June 30, 2027.
MoDOT's Customer Center takes questions about the project at 888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636), according to the release.
Presiding Commissioner Dean Still was also asked Tuesday how the closure has affected county roads near the bridge. Chariton Media Group did not receive a response in time for publication.