PENZEL AWARDED ROUTE 25 WORK

A Jackson construction company has been awarded a contract for a new bridge over the Diversion Channel south of Dutchtown on Route 25.

Freeman McCullah, district engineer for the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department, said the contract was awarded Friday to Penzel Construction Co., of Jackson at a cost of $3,611,376.

Construction on the bridge is slated to begin within 30 days. The project is funded through the road and bridge replacement program.

The first phase of the nearly $6 million project will include construction of a steel and concrete, 40-foot wide bridge, which will be built just east of the existing structure. The existing bridge was built in 1931.

The second phase of the project will involve 1.4 miles of highway leading to the new bridge.