The Missouri Department of Transportation announced Monday it would seek a new owner for the closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen after a preservation organization backed out of the project last month.
MoDOT stated it would accept proposals through March 15, 2019, from those interested in maintaining the former Route 66 bridge. Those interested should call the agency at 573-526-7346.
According to a MoDOT news release:
The spokesperson said that MoDOT had been in negotiations with Workin’ Bridges, a private organization that works to save old bridges from demolition, to take ownership of the 90-year-old bridge in its existing location. However, the organization recently indicated that it had decided not to pursue the project. […]
“Due to liability issues and limited funds, we will have to remove the bridge unless an outside entity steps forward to take ownership of and maintain the bridge,” said MoDOT Central District Engineer David Silvester. “We know that’s not what folks want to hear, but it’s the reality of the situation. We are hopeful some entity will step forward with a proposal to preserve the existing structure.”
State officials closed the bridge in December 2014 after an inspection revealed grave deterioration in the 90-year-old structure. MoDOT plans to build a new bridge a few yards away from the old bridge and Interstate 44.
Iowa-based Workin’ Bridges backed out of the project to rehabilitate the bridge after questions arose from several Route 66 enthusiasts about the group’s transparency and methods, including a Revive 66 road-trip campaign and website that have disappeared off Facebook and the internet.
Workin’ Bridges said repairing the bridge would take $3.1 million, including $1.2 million in removing lead paint. It stated an investment account of several hundred thousand dollars was needed in which interest income would pay for the bridge’s liability insurance, plus biannual inspections.
Workin’ Bridges executive director Julie Bowers pledged to return about $6,900 in donations by mid-February, but refund checks didn’t begin to arrive until March. A post on Workin’ Bridges official Facebook page acknowledged criticism of the group “made me sure not want to rush to return checks as quickly as we could have.”
In the meantime, the Route 66 Gasconade River Bridge Guardians are working on a strategy for rehabilitating the bridge for recreational use.