Work begins on Route MM bridge in Lebanon

Preliminary work has begun for the construction of a new six-lane Route MM bridge over Interstate 44 at Leb-anon, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Transporta-tion.

The Missouri Highways and Transpor-tation Commission awarded the contract for the project to the low bidder, Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. of Columbia.

The company will build the bridge for $3,745,536.

Representatives of the contractor told MoDOT officials they are aiming for mid-August to open the new bridge to traffic, and the target date for completion of the entire project is Oct. 15, the re-lease stated.

The new bridge will be 254 feet long and 100 feet wide.

The old two-lane bridge, built in the 1950s during the time when Route 66 was popular, was damaged beyond repair last year when a steel tank being hauled east on I-44 hit its under side and bent its steel girders.

The new bridge is about 7 feet higher than the old bridge, which was 180 feet long.