Funding For New Daniel Boone Bridge Approved

Funding for a new Daniel Boone Bridge has been approved. The Highway 40 bridge crosses the Missouri River and connects St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved $120 million for the new bridge at its Wednesday meeting. The money is part of the 2012-2017 State Transportation Improvement plan, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Similar to the recent Interstate 64 project, the design and construction will be completed by the same contractor. This allows the project to be completed faster. But, construction won't begin immediately. MoDOT plans to award the contract within the next year; construction should begin in 2013 according to the news release.

The new bridge's location, and the construction's traffic impact, will be determined as part of the contract. The preferred alternative is to construct the new bridge near the existing eastbound bridge. When the new bridge is complete, it would carry eastbound traffic and a protected bike-pedestrain lane. The current eastbound bridge would carry westbound traffic.