Great Rivers Greenway plans to restore bridge at Route 66 State Park in Missouri

The Great Rivers Greenway is working with the Missouri State Parks Foundation to restore the long-closed Meramec River Bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka into a pedestrian and cycling span.

The bridge’s deck was removed more than 10 years ago to help keep the main structure from deteriorating further, and its future looked grim until recently:

Thanks to a collaborative effort and financial gifts from donors, Landmarks Association and Philip and Judith Stupp, the bridge has been saved! A steering group was formed to undertake future fundraising efforts to preserve and explore options to renew this structure as part of the Meramec Greenway, the internationally popular and historic Route 66, and a vital connection in the State Park itself. Missouri State Parks now owns the bridge and MoDOT pledged their funds originally slated for demolition to the preservation plan. […]
The cost to restore and refresh the bridge is estimated to be $9 million. Project partners will be funding $6 million and the remaining $3 million will be funded through private donations and grants. The next steps include launching a fundraising campaign and to advance the concept designs into structural drawing and site plans.

The greenway is seeking feedback about the proposal here.

It appeared several years ago the bridge would face the wrecking ball until the parks foundation and the Stupps worked out an agreement to stop the demolition in 2017.

The Meramec River Bridge was built at Times Beach, Missouri, in 1932. Officials evacuated Times Beach in the 1980s because of dioxin contamination. After incinerating the contaminated soil, Route 66 State Park then was founded at the site, with the main office at the old Steiny’s Inn restaurant on Route 66.

MoDOT closed the bridge in 2009 after an annual inspection showed it could no longer support traffic.

(Artist’s rendering of a reopened Meramec River bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Missouri)