EMERSON BRIDGE CONTRACT AWARDED

An Evansville, Ind., construction company will build the main span of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at a cost of $53.7 million.

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission awarded the contract Friday to Traylor Brothers Construction. The commission met in Jefferson City.

The Illinois Department of Transportation still must sign off on the contract. That approval is expected within a week.

The federal government is paying 80 percent of the cost. Missouri and Illinois are each paying 10 percent.

Traylor had the low bid of $53,766,177. Massman Construction Co. of Kansas City was the only other contractor to meet the state's guidelines. Massman's bid was $53,950,054.

The highway commission also awarded a $662,847 contract to Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson for construction of a two-lane bridge to replace a small span on old Highway 74 just east of Interstate 55. The bridge, built in 1930, crosses Little Ramsey Creek. Construction of a new bridge is expected to begin this spring and be completed by late this fall, highway officials said. A temporary bypass bridge will be erected to the south of the existing span to handle traffic while the new bridge is being built.

Work on the main span of the cable-stay Emerson bridge is expected to begin this summer with completion anticipated in 2003.

The work includes completing an unfinished pier on the Missouri shore, construction of two other piers and installation of support cables. It also includes construction of the bridge deck on the first five piers and installation of roadway and decorative lighting.

"We feel good about it," said Scott Meyer, district engineer for the Missouri Transportation Department in Sikeston.

"We feel like we have done the right thing for Missourians in doing our best in handling the contract, making sure that we are building a good bridge and doing it in a fashion that is fiscally responsible," he said.

Meyer said Traylor has experience building bridges. The contractor is building two bridges in Kentucky that are similar to the Emerson bridge.

"They have many years of experience and expertise in building bridges of this nature across major rivers," he said.

Meyer said an observation area may be set up near the Missouri shore so the public can view the bridge work. MoDOT officials have approached Southeast Missouri State University about the possibility of setting up an observation area on the River Campus property.

While Massman Construction didn't get the contract for the main span, the firm is finishing work on another part of the Emerson bridge project.

Massman is on schedule to finish the piers and steel girder work for the Illinois approach span by June, MoDOT officials said. The substructure will support the bridge deck.

Two additional contracts are needed to complete the new bridge. They include the concrete driving surface on the Illinois approach and extension of new Highway 74 (Shawnee Parkway) from Sprigg Street to the bridge.

Work on those two sections likely will take place in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

MoDOT expects to award a demolition contract for the old bridge in 2003 or 2004.