Daniel Boone Bridge

Daniel Boone Bridge
Coordinates 38°41′17″N 90°39′47″W / 38.688°N 90.663°WCoordinates: 38°41′17″N 90°39′47″W / 38.688°N 90.663°W
Carries 7 lanes (4 EB, 3 WB)[1] of I-64 / US 40 / US 61
Crosses Missouri River
Locale St. Louis County and St. Charles County in Missouri
Maintained by Missouri Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Design Twin Continuous truss bridges
History
Opened 1935 (westbound span)
1989 (eastbound span)
Statistics
Daily traffic 88,317 (2008)[2]

The Daniel Boone Bridge are two twin continuous truss bridges carrying Interstate 64, U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 61 across the Missouri River between St. Louis County and St. Charles County, Missouri.

1937 bridge

The original bridge was opened in June 1937.[3] Initially serving both directions of travel (one in each direction), it was switched to two lanes of westbound traffic in 1989 when the eastbound span opened. In 2001, MoDOT eliminated the shoulders and narrowed the lanes, for a total of three narrow lanes with little, to no shoulders. As the AADT is increasing, the need for a wider bridge with standard lanes and shoulders is increasing. As the bridge was built 80 years ago, it is eligible for the NRHP list. This bridge is slated to be demolished in 2016 once a new bridge is built.

1989 bridge

MoDOT opened an additional bridge, as a result of increased congestion. The bridge was initially built for two eastbound lanes with shoulders, however the shoulders were converted to travel lanes in 2001, for a total of four lanes. The bridge will serve westbound traffic once a new eastbound span opens.

2015 bridge

A new girder bridge is currently under construction upstream, or to the west of the two existing bridges. Once it is done, the new bridge will serve eastbound traffic. The design was approved on December 10, 2004, with funding unveiled in 2011.[4] MODOT awarded a contract to the Walsh-Alberici joint venture team with designer Burns & McDonnell in November 2012, and construction began in the spring of 2013. It is estimated that traffic will be routed onto the new bridge by late spring 2015, with all work completed by early 2016. A bike and pedestrian lane will be added to the new bridge.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Satellite image of Daniel Boone Bridge-Interstate 64. Google Maps. Last accessed November 17, 2006.
  2. ↑ "2008 District 6 Traffic Volume and Commercial Vehicle Count Map". MoDOT. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  3. ↑ St. Charles Banner News June 25, 1937. Elaborate Plans for Bridge Dedication Saturday
  4. ↑ "Commission approves funding for new Daniel Boone Bridge". MoDOT. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  5. ↑ Gremaud, Jim. "New Missouri River Bridge (Daniel Boone)". MODot. Retrieved 2012-08-30.