Bridge near Chaffee closed, will be replaced

BENTON, Mo. — A bridge near Chaffee, Missouri, will be replaced after a state inspection deemed the structure unsafe.

Every two years the Missouri Department of Transportation inspects bridges. In January, it inspected a bridge on Scott County Road 220, off Route RA in Chaffee, that goes to Lake Tywappity.

“MoDOT called us on Thursday and deemed the bridge to be unsafe, so the bridge was closed immediately and completely — no traffic at all,” Scott County Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. “We’re taking emergency actions to expedite the process.”

On Tuesday, the commissioners completed a packet to send to MoDOT’s Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation, a program that provides funding to counties for replacement or rehabilitation of deficient bridges.

“We will be going through engineering and consulting with MoDOT and with our local force. We will, hopefully, take this structure out, and a new structure will be put in its place,” Burger said, adding work would be completed by Scott County and overseen by MoDOT.

Scott County 2nd District Commissioner Donnie Kiefer said the closure affects 15 residences near the bridge.

In the meantime, County Road 216 will serve as a detour while the bridge is being replaced, he said.

“People are aware of it,” said Kiefer, whose district includes the affected roads. “They understand why and what the situation is and that we had to close it down because it’s not safe.”

At least there’s a good alternate route in and out of their homes, Kiefer pointed out.

“We’re going to expedite this as fast as we can, so we appreciate everyone’s patience,” Kiefer said.

Pertinent address:

Scout County Road 220, near Route AA, Chaffee, Mo.