MoDOT closely monitoring Cape bridge

Editor's note: This is a letter from Scott Meyer of the Missouri Department of Transportation to editor R. Joe Sullivan.

We appreciate the Southeast Missourian's editorial on Saturday that re-emphasized that the existing Mississippi River bridge is safe. As has been reported in your newspaper on several occasions, the bridge is inspected regularly and is repaired accordingly. We want your readers to know what is being done to ensure the bridge's safety, and we appreciate your partnership in conveying this information.

In your Sept. 27 column, "Chains and other scary stuff," your comment about duct tape wasn't too far off. There is a product currently being researched at the University of Missouri-Rolla that actually looks very similar to duct tape. It's made of carbon fibers and has been epoxied to concrete to provide additional strength. However, at this point in the product's development, it is not cost effective in most situations.

It has been interesting how many people have asked us about the chain. It was put up while we were doing work, and it is no longer there. It is like a "chain letter." When will it stop? The Sept. 26 article you based your column on clearly stated the inspection deemed the bridge safe, but I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

Simply put, if the bridge gets to a point where it is no longer safe, we will make changes to how it is used. Some possible options would be one-lane traffic, stricter rules on weights that can cross or ultimately closing it. These types of measures have had to happen on bridges in other parts of the state, and we are working tirelessly to avoid this situation in Cape Girardeau.

Well, hopefully you won't get any more "chain letters," we won't have to use any duct tape and the new bridge will open next year without a hitch. Until then I can assure you the existing bridge is safe as posted, and the new bridge is being checked at every stage to confirm that it meets or exceeds requirements.

Meyer is district engineer for MoDOT's Southeast District.