Work on deteriorating Bloomfield Road bridge begins

Motorists on heavily traveled Bloomfield Road could be driving over a temporary gravel road before the end of the year as workers begin to replace a deteriorating, narrow bridge that's barely wide enough for today's traffic.

"It's dangerous, really," said Beatrice Margrabe, who lives just west of the bridge that spans Ramsey Branch. "We've needed a new bridge for a long time."

State highway officials expressed concern about the weakening foundation of the bridge west of Interstate 55 last summer. In response, the Cape Girardeau City Council in July voted to reduce the load limit on the 22-foot-wide bridge from 9 tons to 3 tons.

As a result, fire trucks no longer cross the span. The trucks now have to travel over other less-direct roads to get to where Margrabe and other residents live on Cape Girardeau's western fringes.

The project will have an impact on thousands of motorists. About 9,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, city engineer Mark Lester said.

Bloomfield Road is a route into Cape Girardeau for not just those who live along the road, but also residents from nearby towns, he said.

Margrabe said she wished the timing was better for the construction work.

"It is a shame they waited until almost Christmas to do it," she said.

But Abdul Alkadry, a civil engineer for the city, said environmental permits and regulatory paperwork dealing with the grant-funded project delayed the construction start.

City officials braved the cold and drizzle Thursday to break ground for the $535,211 project, which involves construction of a 36-foot wide, concrete deck bridge with curbs and sidewalks. The project also includes the widening of Bloomfield Road on either side of the bridge. In all, the work will stretch over a distance of about 375 feet, officials said.

The project will tie in with the widening of Bloomfield Road from Siemers Drive to Stonebridge Drive which is scheduled for next year, officials said.

Penzel Construction of Jackson is scheduled to start work on the bridge project on Monday. Construction is expected to take about four months, with completion scheduled for April 14.

But Alkadry said the current bridge won't be closed to traffic until the contractor builds a half-mile, two-lane gravel road through a stand of trees and a field on Tom Lett's property, which is located on the south side of Bloomfield Road.

Lett's house sits within sight of the planned detour. He said it will be an inconvenience, but one he can live with.

"I do get the land back when they get through with the bridge," Lett said.

The city obtained an easement to build the detour, which will extend from Bloomfield Road just west of the bridge, south to Wolverine Road, which connects to new Highway 74 near where it ends west of I-55. Motorists then would be able to cross over I-55 on Highway 74.

Alkadry estimated it could take about two weeks for Penzel Construction workers to build the temporary road.

Federal grant money from the state will pay 80 percent of the cost of the project. The other 20 percent will be paid by the city, officials said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123