Highway 96 Spring River bridge is now closed - KOAM TV 7

The old Spring River bridge east of Carthage will soon be replaced.  It was shut down today and that means a detour for drivers.

It's a popular route for residents and truck traffic.  According to the Missouri Department of Transportation nearly 6,500 vehicles travel this section of Highway 96 every day.  Lots of trucks travel the route to go north on Highway 71.

The bridge was built in 1951 and now barricades are up, and the bridge will be closed for the summer.

Many truckers are already using Highway V, though that's not MoDOT's suggested detour which is 571 to Highway E.

Some truckers say they'll be heading to Interstate 44 and that will add about 20 miles to their route.

"The bridge deck exposed, steel concrete underneath falling down, concrete underneath scaling and falling down," says resident engineer and Joplin Project OFc. Greg Chapman.  "Like I said, exposed steel on walls, bridge piers and things just deteriorating, concrete scaling and breaking away, those are things we look for."

MoDOT's contract with Hartman Construction says they have until November 1 but, Hartman hopes to complete the job sooner.

The project is expected to cost $1.4 million.