By Debbie Robinson

news@joplinglobe.com

SENECA, Mo. — The city of Seneca will assume expenses for repairing a historic footbridge over Lost Creek on Main Street, even though the state of Missouri owns the rights to the walkway.

Doyle Shields, police chief and public works director, said the walkway on the west side of the creek has been closed for about four months because of structural problems.

“We’re going to pull it out for repairs,” he said.

Pedestrians now have to walk in the street to continue north on Main Street, Shields said.

Engineers inspected the footbridge and determined that the I-beams underneath were damaged.

The bridge is expected to be pulled next week and taken to Seneca Steel for repairs.

Shields said the improved — and safe — footbridge should be reinstalled by mid-October.

“This is a heavily traveled bridge,” he said.

Some people even fish from the bridge, Shields said. “It’s a nice little spot,” he said.

Jim Conley, Missouri Department of Transportation construction materials engineer, said the state is deeding both footbridges across Lost Creek to the city.

“Right now, the state owns those rights of way and the bridges, but we’ve looked back several years and can’t find anything, so they decided to keep access,” he said.

The bridges in the town are on a list of 554 bridges statewide that are to be replaced by Dec. 31, 2013, Conley said.

City officials decided to the close the footbridge on the west side of the creek for safety reasons.