Seneca repairing historic footbridge

Local News

Discussion

September 3, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Thu Sep 03, 2009, 11:15 PM CDT

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.

“We didn’t want to take any chances that someone would get hurt,” Mayor Gary Roark said.

Once the footbridge is reinforced, it will be installed at the same location, Roark said.

“There’s a lot of history to those bridges,” he said.

For Nikki Edwards, owner of Envee Studio Hair Salon and Boutique, the closure has resulted in the loss of some foot traffic.

“It’s not affected me that much, but you have to walk in the street to get anywhere,” she said. “It’s a pain.”

The state is expected to replace the roadway bridge and add sidewalks, but the city wants to retain the footbridges.

Cost and labor

The city will pay the estimated $4,000 to $5,000 cost for materials, and Seneca Steel is providing volunteer labor.

Text Only

Local News

Board places $62 million bond issue on April ballot
In a special session Monday morning, the Joplin Board of Education unanimously approved for the ballot what likely is the largest bond issue proposal in the history of the school district.

February 6, 2012 1 Photo
Turnout could be low for ‘straw poll’ primary
Local election officials don’t know what to expect in terms of voter turnout for today’s presidential preference primary, several said Monday.

February 6, 2012
Council denies Highview rezoning
Current residents of Highview Avenue, south of 20th Street, won a battle Monday night when the Joplin City Council denied commercial zoning for residential lots on the east side of the street. The war may not be over, though.

February 6, 2012
Two men plead guilty in sex-offense cases
The Jasper County prosecutor’s office obtained convictions Monday in two sex-offense cases through offers for the defendants to enter pleas on reduced charges.

February 6, 2012
Judge sends identity thief to prison
The husband of a woman who was sent to prison last year for putting an imaginary baby up for sale on Craigslist was assessed a prison term himself Monday for trafficking in stolen identities.

February 6, 2012
Carl Junction panel studying dog tethering, barking issues
The Carl Junction Codes and Nuisance Review Committee will meet today to consider possible ordinances for dog retention after a complaint by a resident at the most recent City Council meeting.

February 6, 2012
PSU president gives faculty preview of legislative report
At a forum Monday afternoon on budget-related and legislative issues, Pittsburg State University President Steve Scott gave about 100 faculty and staff members a preview of today’s testimony before the House Education Budget Committee.

February 6, 2012
No objections voiced to tribe’s CID proposal
A couple of questions but no objections were voiced Monday at a public hearing regarding a proposed community improvement district in northwest Newton County.

February 6, 2012
Mike Pound: Grown men soon to be playing baseball, so all is well
Now that the Super Bowl is over (It is over, isn’t it?), I’ve set my sights on Feb. 18. That is the day, according to what I’ve read, when major league baseball pitchers and catchers are due to start reporting for spring training. When spring training is under way, I don’t care what the weather is like around here.

February 6, 2012
SW Mo. man charged with abusing foster kids
A southwest Missouri man has been charged with sexually abusing two of his foster children.

February 6, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Board places $62 million bond issue on April ballot

Local News

Search Results

Discussion

Seneca repairing historic footbridge

Six judges in a county in Kansas are using iPads to sign off on search warrants so law enforcement can more quickly draw blood from suspected drunken drivers. Do you think more counties should use this technology?

Site Map

Contact Us