SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Less than five months after a southwest Missouri bridge was destroyed in a sudden flood, work is nearly complete on its replacement.
A massive flood in April destroyed the Hammond Bridge on CC Highway over the North Fork of the White River, completely ripping the 300-foot-long span from its concrete piers and pushing it more than 100 yards downstream. Getting from one side to the other now takes 45 minutes of detours.
The detours won't last much longer. The Springfield News-Leader reports that the new span is expected to open in early October.
Missouri Department of Transportation engineer Audie Pulliam says the new bridge will be 2 feet higher, making flooding less likely.
Good weather has allowed the $2.8 million project to move ahead of schedule.
