The northbound Missouri 291 bridge over the Missouri River is closing at 4 p.m. today – and could be closed for months.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, a routine bridge inspection has prompted MoDOT to immediately close the northbound lane until further notice.
Steve Porter, spokesperson for MoDOT, said today that MoDOT had initially restricted weight limits on the bridge, but additional reports promoted the closure.
“Further review found more significant concerns,” Porter said, adding that the conditions were not classified as an emergency.
“But we are classifying it as an urgent closure,” he said.
MoDOT says rust has damaged the bridge, and the department will determine what repairs must be made.
“We are closing this bridge to maintain the safety of the traveling public,” said Christopher Redline, assistant district engineer for MoDOT.
“MoDOT is acting quickly to award an emergency contract to construct a crossover to minimize the impacts to traffic by moving all traffic to the southbound Missouri 291 bridge. This will allow a better traffic flow while engineers further examine the northbound bridge and determine the repairs needed.”
Redline anticipates the northbound bridge could be closed for several months.
MoDOT will construct a crossover, a temporary bypass, to divert northbound traffic to cross into southbound lanes. MoDOT expects this crossover to be in place by early next week.
Until then, drivers should avoid northbound M-291 if possible. Drivers will need to find an alternate crossing to go north.
The two closest river crossings are be I-435 and Route 13 in Lexington. From the south, take U.S. 24 to I-435 north across the river to Missouri 210 west to M-291. Or take U.S. 24 to Missouri 13 north to the Lexington River Bridge. The full detour can be viewed on MoDOT’s Web site, www.modot.org/kansascity.
The bridge, built in 1949, carries approximately 10,144 vehicles daily.
