Those living near or driving by the Grand River Overflow Bridge on Chariton County Highway 139 have not seen activity at the site for some time, but there is a good reason.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) says bridge construction required significant amounts of dirt to be moved and placed at the site, which needed time to settle and compact before construction on the new bridge can continue.

The settlement phase is almost complete, and pending geotechnical testing, the contractor plans to resume work building the new structure over the Grand River Overflow on Monday, May 17. The roadway is scheduled to reopen to all traffic in early July 2021.

During the closure, motorists may use one of two signed detours:
· North: Over Route H, U.S. Highway 65, U.S. Highway 36 and Highway 5; or
· South: Over U.S. Highway 24, Highway 11, Route CC and Route E.

All work is weather permitting, and schedules are subject to change.