Missouri's effort to refurbish its aging infrastructure has taken a significant leap forward with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission's announcement, selecting The ESS Team to tackle extensive improvements across 20 bridges in the state's Southwest District. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, this ambitious initiative spans seven counties: Bates, Benton, Cedar, Henry, Hickory, St. Clair, and Vernon.
The ESS Team, composed of Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. and Bartlett & West, Inc., secured the bid amidst competitive proposals, setting their sights on replacing fourteen bridges and rehabilitating another six, these structures bear the weight of time, having stood for an average of seven decades. With over 10,400 bridges under Missouri's purview, the state is grappling with approximately 804 that are currently deemed "poor" by Federal Highway Administration standards, a reflection of a broader narrative of national infrastructure in need of pressing revitalization.
Scheduled to commence in the later part of spring or the early thresholds of summer 2025, The ESS Team's project carries a $38 million price tag and a completion date set for November 2027, representing not just an infrastructural boost but an investment into the veins that keep commerce and travel alive in the region. As the announcement from the Missouri Department of Transportation details, the project is poised to bring a much-needed uplift to an essential segment of Missouri's transportation network.
