By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
ALBA, Mo. — Area residents are happy that the Quaker Mill bridge on Route D over Spring River is going to be replaced.
But the project planned by the Missouri Department of Transportation isn’t enough of a makeover, a number of residents told state officials at a meeting Thursday.
Several who attended the informational session at the Tri-Cities Volunteer Fire Department station said they would like to see approaches to the bridge straightened, and the bridge elevated, so the crossing doesn’t flood so frequently when Spring River is high. The bridge, built in 1900, was closed to traffic several months ago because of its poor condition.
“I’d like to see it wider, and raised to help when there’s flooding,” said Pat Gooch, mayor of Neck City.
James Conley, southwest regional engineer with the state highway department, said the bridge will be at least 4 feet wider than the current span, with the elevation to be raised about 1.5 feet.
“That will help the bridge some with flooding, but not the approaches,” he said. “We understand what people are saying, but that’s more than is planned in this project.”
The bridge is one of five in Jasper County — among 550 in Missouri — that are to be replaced over the next two years as part of the state’s Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program.
Darrell Wilson, of Purcell, said he will press for more.
“They (highway department officials) gave me a form to fill out and send in, and told me I ought to talk to my legislators,” he said. “If they’re going to replace the bridge, it ought to address the flooding problems and take the curves out. When you can’t use it, you have to go a long way out of your way.”
Bob Thetge, of Purcell, agreed.
“When flooding closes the bridge, it takes a lot longer to get in and out, and that includes police and ambulances and firetrucks,” he said. “If I have a heart attack, I don’t want the ambulance to have to take the long way.”
Mike Garrett, chief of the Tri-Cities Volunteer Fire Department, said his trucks have to detour about six miles when the bridge is closed.
“It might be closed twice a year, or five or six times; it just depends on the weather up north,” he said. “Most everyone I talk to wants to see the road straightened and the bridge raised. There are four curves just in that area. It’s hard for firetrucks and truck traffic to negotiate.”
He said fire crews have fished vehicles out of the river when they have failed to negotiate the curves.
Donna Boatman, of rural Oronogo, who has property near the bridge, said she also has helped accident victims there.
Boatman said she is eager for the project to be started, and finished, so she and her neighbors no longer have to take detours forced by the closed bridge.
“Right now, it’s hard to get to the bank or the post office or church,” she said.
Start date
The replacement project is expected to start in April, and take four to six weeks to complete, officials said.
