Highway W Bridge Reopens Southeast Of Bourbon

Highway W in Washington County reopened to traffic Friday, July 17, following the replacement of the bridge deck over Ashley Branch southeast of Bourbon.

Construction crews completed the new driving surface and reopened the highway on schedule, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Louis-Company LLC, working with MoDOT, closed the bridge around the clock beginning June 8. Motorists had been required to use alternate routes while the deck was removed and replaced.

The bridge, which was built in 1963, had remained structurally sound, but its driving surface was nearing the end of its useful life. The approximately $800,000 project included engineering and construction costs.

Plans called for a new 26-foot-wide deck, two feet wider than the previous driving surface. The closure had initially been expected to last as long as 60 calendar days and continue through the end of July.