Route 51 in Bollinger County will soon close as contractor crews replace the bridges over Castor River and Castor River Overflow. The bridges are located between Green Street in Zalma, Missouri, to just south of Route H.
Weather permitting, work will begin Tuesday, June 1, with completion anticipated Thursday, Sept. 30. The bridge replacements will be completed simultaneously to minimize impacts to traffic. A signed detour will be in place.
These bridges are included in the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Bootheel Bridge Bundle design-build project, which will improve 17 bridges throughout Southeast Missouri. Completion of the Bootheel Bridge Bundle design-build project is anticipated on or before Dec. 31, 2023. The design-build project website is available at https://www.modot.org/bootheel-bridge-bundle.
The Castor River bridge is also included in Gov. Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state. A total of 13 Focus bridges will be addressed through the Bootheel Bridge Bundle.
The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.