New bridges to be constructed on Highway Z in Gordonville

GORDONVILLE, Mo. (KBSI) – Richard Kiehne lives just east of the one-lane bridges on Highway Z in Gordonville. These bridges will be replaced with safer, two-lane bridges, with work scheduled to begin as early as Spring 2025. 

Kiehne said while this is a long-term project and the new bridges are needed, he hopes for as little inconvenience as possible in the short-term. 

“The argument would be the amount of time that it’s going to take and the inconvenience that it’s going to create, and if we can do things that would make it more convenient for people in the short-term, it’d be fine,” he said.

But he also shared this reminder. 

“That’s progress. Any time you deal with progress, you’re going to deal with some inconvenience, too,” he said.

Andy Meyer with the Missouri Department of Transportation said that while the existing bridges are okay for now, they have reached a point to where: “Continued maintenance is not efficient, and replacement is necessary.” 

With the new bridges having two lanes, drivers will no longer have to yield to oncoming traffic. 

“It’s not the ideal situation for the travelling public to have to stop and take turns using those bridges, so what we put back will be two lanes with shoulders, and it will eliminate any of the issues that we have here today,” Meyer said.

Meyer also said they will raise the roadway 5 to 6 feet to combat sight distance issues and possible flooding.

The new bridges will be completed by Fall 2026.