A grant from the Federal Highway Administration will allow Missouri to replace up to 41 rural bridges in northern Missouri, officials with the Missouri Department of Transportation said Monday.
Currently, the MoDOT is looking for Letters of Interest from Design-Build Teams to participate in the department’s Fixing Access to Rural Missouri (FARM) Bridge Program.
“These bridges all have the same issues – they are weight restricted, supported by timber piles, in poor condition, and are one lane but carry two-way traffic,” said MoDOT FARM Bridge Project Director Jeff Gander.
The bridges are all located on roads with low traffic volume, officials said.
Funded through a $20.8 million federal grant and $5.2 million in matching funds from MoDOT, the work on the bridges is expected to begin in late 2021. Currently, the MoDOT is using the design-build method and is requesting letters of interest from teams that want to bid on the project.
In the design-build method, one contracting team is hired to complete the design work and build the highway improvement under one contract. Design-build proposers should safely deliver the project within the program budget of $21.98 million on or before Oct. 31, 2023; use innovation to maximize the number of locations to be addressed; provide quality long-lasting structures and minimize public inconvenience through increased construction speed and flexibility in scheduling.
“We will keep drivers and area residents updated on the construction schedule for these bridges through email and the local media,” Gander said.
The MoDOT will provide a virtual information presentation from 1 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. All those interested in the FARM project should supply MoDOT with a one-page letter of interest by registered mail no later than Monday, Nov. 9, 2020.