The City of Sedalia’s effort to keep the Washington Street Bridge in operation over the Union Pacific Railway will result in the bridge closing for repair work beginning Friday, Oct. 25.

City crews will remove paint and rust from the bridge’s substructure to address corrosion that has impacted the bridge’s safety. The city had initially closed the bridge in February after the structure failed a routine inspection by the Missouri Department of Transportation. The bridge reopened in July to northbound traffic after engineering firm HDR determined that one lane could continue to use the bridge safely. HDR is continuing to finalize plans and specification for further repairs, with the goal to have both lanes of traffic restored by late summer 2025.

City officials stress that while the bridge is closed, emergency responders will use previously established tactics to ensure a quick and efficient response to emergencies north of the railroad tracks.