MoDOT hosts community meeting about Theodosia bridge project
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman There were about 85 residents who attended the MoDOT community briefing on the plans for building a new bridge on Highway 160 at Theodosia. Staff members told the Times that the plan is to keep the existing bridge open until the new bridge is completed and open.
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman The current Theodosia bridge, which spans Bull Shoals Lake at Theodosia on Highway 160, was built in 1951 when Bull Shoals Lake was impounded after the Bull Shoals Dam was built on the White River. MoDOT plans to replace the bridge in the coming years with an entirely new structure expected to be completed by fall of 2030.
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman MoDOT Project Manager Donna Philpot is shown here with an informational board showing the Thedosia bridge project’s expected timeline. MoDOT is currently in the environmental and conceptual study phase, which is expected to wrap up next summer. They will then go into the design phase, which lasts about two years, until fall 2028. They anticipate construction will begin sometime in fall 2028 and last about two more years until fall 2030.
This graphic shows what is being “environmentally cleared” as the potential area where the new Theodosia bridge will be built. The bridge will not encompass all of the area within the red dots. The bridge will have a much smaller footprint, which will lie somewhere within the red dotted lines.
There were about 85 local residents in attendance at the Missouri Department of Transportation’s drop-in style meeting in Theodosia last week, according to Project Manager Donna Philpot - and most people wanted to know if the bridge, which spans Bull Shoals Lake on busy Highway 160, would remain open to traffic during construction. Philpot says the answer is yes, MoDOT is planning to keep the bridge open without disruption to traffic flow throughout the 5-year project.
She says the plan is to build the new bridge in a slightly different location and keep the old bridge open until the new bridge is ready to be opened. Once that happens, the highway will be rerouted to the new bridge, at which point the old bridge will be closed and the process of dismantling and removing the old bridge would begin.
The drop-in meeting featured various information boards located around the room, and MoDOT staff were on hand to answer individual questions as they received them. A lot of the questions were aimed at the specifics of the project, which haven’t been ironed out yet, Philpot said.
Why is MoDOT building a new bridge?
Some of those attending wondered why a new bridge is being built while the existing bridge seems to be working just fine. MoDOT says that the Theodosia bridge was built nearly 75 years ago in 1951, and while it is safe to use, it is deteriorating and nearing the end of its useful life. “If it isn’t replaced, it will face years of maintenance causing impacts to the traveling public. The state route detour is 50 miles (using Route 95 and Route 5),” MoDOT’s informational board at the meeting said.
Timeline continues through fall 2030
The project is expected to last five years in its entirety, reaching completion in fall 2030, according to the information provided at the meeting.
MoDOT is currently in the environmental and conceptual study phase, which is expected to continue through next summer. It involves analyzing environmental impacts and assessments regarding building the new bridge. Also a key point is determining an alternate location where the new bridge will be built.
The next phase will be the design phase, which is expected to last from summer 2026 to fall 2028.
Construction is planned to begin in fall 2028, and the project is estimated to last about two years, through fall 2030. Again, the plan is for the old bridge to remain open until the new bridge is opened.
“It just doesn’t really make sense to have a highway like this closed during an extended period while construction is ongoing,” Philpot told the Times at the meeting.
Location of the new bridge
One aspect that many local residents are interested in is where exactly MoDOT is planning on building the new bridge. That is still up in the air, Philpot said.
The graphic above, right, was displayed on a poster board at the meeting, giving residents an idea of the potential location. The areas that are light grey indicate private property, while the light green color is publicly owned land. Property owners within that designated area were sent a letter, Philpot said, explaining the situation.
Does that mean the new bridge may involve utilizing land currently owned by individuals? Philpot says that is a possibility. “We do take into account all property in the area including personal property,” she told the Times.
Does that mean the property owner would have to agree to the sale? Not necessarily.
“If personal property would be affected, we have certified appraisers that will appraise the value of the property and make an offer to the owner. We would work with the property owner to work towards an agreement to purchase the property,” she explained. “If an agreement could not be reached it is possible that the property could be purchased through eminent domain, but we would work towards purchasing the property through agreement with the property owner before considering that option.”
For more information
To view the meeting handout or comment on this project, please visit the project webpage at modot.org/160BullShoalsOzark.
For more information, please contact MoDOT Project Manager Donna Philpot at (573) 472-5347 or MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK MODOT (275-6636).
Local residents who would like to share comments on the project can fill out a form at https://www.modot.org/160BullShoalsOzark by Nov. 20.
Any takers on the old bridge?
At this point, it doesn’t look like there is a plan for any local entity or individual to apply to receive the old Theodosia bridge. MoDOT officials say the cost of upkeep on the old bridge would be in the millions per year, therefore it’s not feasible to be kept in its location as a walking bridge. The Ozark County Commissioners have also cited the enormous cost of upkeep as the reason the county is not interested in using or re-purposing the structure.