Chadwick Flyer Trail bridge opens in Ozark

A growing trail system in the greater Springfield area has a new connection point with the opening of the Chadwick Flyer Trail bridge in Ozark.

The bridge is now open to cyclists, joggers and walkers, according to a news release issued this morning by the city of Ozark. The bridge crosses Highway 65 near the 39-mile marker, Springfield Business Journal previously reported. 

“We’re excited to open the Chadwick Flyer bridge and welcome the community onto this long-anticipated connection,” Ozark Mayor Don Currence said in the release. “This project is about more than a bridge – it’s about creating safer routes, encouraging outdoor recreation and continuing to invest in the quality of life in Ozark for our citizens."

Finishing touches, including angled panels and permanent railing, are slated to be installed in the coming weeks. Temporary safety measures have been put up as the project wraps.

Ozark Public Works Director Jeremy Parsons said in the release that the Chadwick Flyer Trail bridge brings regional benefits to the trail system.

"It really helps tie the Chadwick Flyer Trail system together, making it easier and safer for people to get out and enjoy it across multiple communities," he said in the release.

According to past SBJ reporting, the bridge's project cost was an estimated $5.3 million. Radmacher Brothers Excavating Co. Inc. is general contractor, with engineering work from Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc.

The trail spans roughly 12 miles of the original Chadwick Flyer rail line that covered almost 17 miles from National Avenue near downtown Springfield to Ozark’s Finley River Trail, according to past reporting. In development since 2019, the project is a collaborative effort between the city of Ozark, Ozarks Transportation Organization and Ozark Greenways Inc.