BRIDGE WORK PROGRESSES; CONCRETE WILL BE POURED FOR PIER NEXT WEEK

Work on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau is being concentrated on pier 2.

"We're looking at the next concrete pour for the pier," said Matt Girard, project manager for Flatiron Structures Inc., the contractor.

Pier 2 is on the Missouri shore of the Mississippi River near Aquamsi Street.

Work on the pier was temporarily set back recently when the reinforcing steel bar used in the construction of a portion of the concrete tower fell over. The steel is used in reinforcing a section of the 350-foot concrete tower of the bridge.

"The reinforcing steel is visible from the road," said Girard. "We'll be pouring concrete next week," he said, pointing out that about 825 cubic feet of concrete will be poured.

"Another month, another pour, and the concrete pier should be visible," said Girard.

The pour will be the second for pier 2.

Underground footings totaling 10,440,000 pounds of concrete or about 2,265 cubic yards were poured in April.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Transportation is involved in exploratory core drilling in the middle of the river at the site of pier 3.

"We're checking the ground rock," said Allen Friedrich, the department's senior construction inspector. Core work for pier 3 should be completed soon.

Large, concrete pours will be necessary on piers 3 and 4, with massive pours of 4,400 cubic yards.

Work on the Illinois side is at standstill.

"We have the equipment and materials in place to build the embankment there," said Bob Zieba of the Illinois Department of Transportation. "We're just waiting for the weather to cooperate."