The Hillers Creek Bridge replacement is expected to be completed in September.
Brenneke Construction LLC is constructing the new bridge, which will replace the old Hillers Creek Bridge on Old U.S. Highway 54. Principal Wayne Brenneke bid the project at $398,801 for removing and replacing the old bridge.
Construction for the new bridge is being funded through the bridge replacement off-system (BRO) program. The federal program covers 80 percent of a given bridge project through federal funding while the county provides the remaining 20 percent, Kritzer said. Callaway County receives about $200,000 worth of federal funds for the program annually, which Kritzer said will go towards the Hillers Creek Bridge project. A portion of last year's left-over fund is being allocated to the Hillers Creek Bridge project, Kritzer said.
The remaining 20 percent of the funding will come from the county's soft match pool. Funds allocate in the pool from the federal government after the county rebuilds a bridge using its own labor, Kritzer said. The county is limited to fixing bridges under 20 feet in order for the state to reimburse the county for a fraction of the construction cost. The state will provide funds equal to 80 percent of the construction of the bridge less than 20 feet in length to be credited towards the construction of another bridge, Kritzer said.
Funding for bridges and roads is limited in Callaway to $3 million annually and $1 million of that is allocated to the purchase of gravel for roads, but that doesn't include the cost to haul the material, Kritzer said. This makes the BRO program all the more vital to the county.
"If the program goes away then at some point we'll be forced to close bridges," Kritzer said.
To keep the allocation of funds from the soft match pool going, Kritzer said the county tries to replace one bridge a year, but if the BRO program ended funds for reconstruction would come from the county's bridges and road budget.
"We take advantage of the (BRO) program because it makes sense," Kritzer said. "When you got money out there that's available we can use that instead of using our budget."
The previous bridge, which was constructed in 1922, was placed on the Missouri Department of Transportation's (MoDOT) deficiency list for approximately five years due to problems with its decking and steel frame, Kritzer said. In order to continue using the bridge, MoDOT continued to reduce the weight limit on the bridge until it was deemed too unsafe for regular use.
The original plans for the previous bridge was to tear it down, but the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office determined the bridge to have historical significance, the Fulton Sun previously reported. Callaway County Commissioner Doc Kritzer surmised the significance was due to the bridge's unique design.
Because of its classification, the bridge was released as a part of MoDOT's Free Bridge program, the Fulton Sun previously reported. The program allows historical bridges to be eligible for relocation, as they are protected by a federal law which states that historical bridges should first be available for donation as long as certain conditions are met, according to the program's site. However, bids to preserve the bridge were not made and it was later torn down, Kritzer said.
In order to preserve a part of the bridge, the commissioners removed the bridge's identifying plaque and donated it to the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society, which is still finding a place to display the plaque.
The new bridge will measure 26 feet wide and 109 feet long at the end of its completion, Brenneke said. The group plans on pouring concrete next week if the rain stops.