I-70 Rocheport Bridge in Missouri to be replaced

[adt1982]

Missouri has been awarded a federal grant to help fund replacement of the Rocheport Bridge on I-70 near Columbia.

[edwaleni]

Missouri has been awarded a federal grant to help fund replacement of the Rocheport Bridge on I-70 near Columbia.

They had to.

The bridge was downgraded yet again as worse than expected last week.

The rehab plan from MoDOT would have caused 3-7 hour backups in each direction on I-70 which has a high traffic count.

The grant allows a brand new span to be built next to it so traffic doesn't have to divert to 1 lane each way (are you listening Illinois?)

The bridge was built in 1960 and was rehabbed in 1994. It's in bad shape.

[Stephane Dumas]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

[mvak36]

This was a good article talking about how much more money the state needs to come up with to build the bridge: https://www.columbiatribune.com/news/20190723/state-looks-for-funds-to-cover-bridge-shortfall

[Revive 755]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

[mvak36]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

[edwaleni]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

[mvak36]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

What is the difference between a concrete pylon/girder plate bridge and a deck girder bridge (like the new southern span of the I-64 bridge is)?

[edwaleni]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

What is the difference between a concrete pylon/girder plate bridge and a deck girder bridge (like the new southern span of the I-64 bridge is)?

Identical

[skluth]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

Any new bridge really needs to be six lanes if MODOT wants to keep its plan to widen I-70 across the state. I realize the six-lane I-70 proposals have been debated for close to 30 years, but it's slowly happening anyway. (Not sure how they'll be able to widen I-70 through Wentzville or Columbia, but that's another discussion.) If they're going to replace it, they might as well do it correctly.

[Bobby5280]

If they keep the design simple they'll be able to build the replacement bridge with 6 lanes plus shoulders. Obviously the bridge would only be able to be striped with 4 lanes for the time being. But plenty of other bridges in the Interstate system have been built like that. I-44 over the Canadian River South of Oklahoma City is one example. It was built with enough room for a third lane to be added inside whenever ODOT gets around to widening that part of I-44.

As for the rest of the effort to 6-lane I-70 across Missouri, that all depends on the state's priorities. So many corridors are vying for attention and funding (US-50, US-60, I-44, etc).

[Revive 755]

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

WB US 40 gained an extra lane when it was shifted onto the former EB bridge.  Streetview

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

Thought I read that the new bridge was going to be built with wide shoulders to allow six lanes.  The article wasn't clear whether there would be any shoulders left after the extra lane was added each way.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

If this was true, I would have expected a few of the new bridges either built or proposed over the Illinois River to use/have used shorter spans.  Aren't there also strict navigation requirements mentioned in the various bridge studies around Cairo, IL as well? 

[Bobby5280]

I would expect some additional pylons to be built near the bridge pylons as protection. The I-40 bridge over the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, OK had additional pylons installed near the bridge as a barrier after the barge collision in 2002.

[edwaleni]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

Could it be like the new I-64 Missouri River bridge that was opened in 2015?

The Daniel Boone Bridge (I-64) was not a total replacement.

They simply built a 3 lane bridge south of the current 1965 span and then turned the old span into 3 lanes westbound.

The Rochefort Bridge is a consolidated span like what the Boone bridge was, but it is in worse shape than the older Boone span was.

Therefore they will most likely build a new 4 lane span with shoulders, redirect traffic temporarily while the old span is demolished and replaced.

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

Any new bridge really needs to be six lanes if MODOT wants to keep its plan to widen I-70 across the state. I realize the six-lane I-70 proposals have been debated for close to 30 years, but it's slowly happening anyway. (Not sure how they'll be able to widen I-70 through Wentzville or Columbia, but that's another discussion.) If they're going to replace it, they might as well do it correctly.

This is why I suggested that the new bridge on one side will be built with 4 lanes plus shoulders. This would accommodate 2 lanes each way with shoulder/construction traffic space until the second span was complete. Then the bypass bridge would be restriped for 3 lanes with shoulders with room for an additional lane in some near future.

[jnewkirk77]

It will be built with room for 6 lanes, but will be striped for 4 when it opens, per MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna. Glad to see they're thinking ahead.

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/new-rocheport-bridge-plans-do-not-include-old-bridge-rehabilitation

[will_e_777]

it looks like some more of the limestone will need to be cut from hill on the east side of the river

[Gnutella]

Dam, I like that old bridge.

Oh well, nothing lasts forever. I-70 needs to be widened anyway. I hope they widen it between the river and Columbia after they replace the bridge, and then between Columbia and Wentzville. Between the river and Blue Springs doesn't seem to be as high of a priority, because traffic isn't as heavy on that segment, from my experience.

[SteveG1988]

I wonder what kind of bridge will replace it?

Per https://bridgehunter.com/mo/boone/missouri-70/, the longest span is 550 feet.  Looking at other recent bridge projects, it would appear to be close to the cutoff between a plain steel beam and either a tied arch or single span truss bridge (if the latter are still built anymore).  Maybe an extradosed cable-stayed?

a longer span would be better for the flood plain beneath the current bridge, that basin fills up enough.

[edwaleni]

[

As for a bridge design, it doesn't appear the US Army CoE is enforcing stringent navigation policies, so I would expect a typical boilerplate concrete pylon/girder plate design.

If this was true, I would have expected a few of the new bridges either built or proposed over the Illinois River to use/have used shorter spans.  Aren't there also strict navigation requirements mentioned in the various bridge studies around Cairo, IL as well?

Navigation requirements up the Ohio and Mississippi around Cairo are much more stringent than this location of the Missouri. While the drafts are the same (due to dams and locks), the clearances aren't.

According to the ACoE, here are the requirements for the Missouri.

The Missouri River originates in southwestern Montana and flows in a southeasterly direction about 2,315 miles to join the Mississippi River approximately 15 miles upstream of St. Louis, Missouri. The Mileage on the Missouri is measured upstream from the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, mile 0.0.
Navigation on the Missouri River occurs from Sioux City to the mouth at St. Louis, a distance of 734 miles. In 1994, commercial barge traffic on the river was 1.5 million tons. Approximately 140 docks and terminals operate along the river. The Corps of Engineers has the responsibility under Congressional authorization for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Missouri River for navigation, flood control and related purposes, including flow regulation and bank protection. The Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project provides a 9-foot deep, 300-foot wide navigation channel.

The commercial navigation season is normally from late March to early December. Specific Minimum flow rates are required during the navigation season to provide adequate depths and width. A flow of 30,000 to 35,000 cubic feet per second in generally maintained at Sioux City and Omaha. During insufficient natural flows, water is released from the upstream Mainstem Reservoir System.