The Route 66 Association of Missouri recently fenced off the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, because of safety concerns about its deck.
Gary Sosniecki, a key contributor to the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society, posted on Facebook about the situation:
Rich Dinkela, president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri said on Sept. 7, the day the Missouri Highway Commission transferred bridge ownership to the Route 66 Association, that the association’s No. 1 goal is to stabilize the bridge, which, following a recent inspection, no longer is safe for tourists to walk on.
“The bridge is in critical condition,” he said. “It needs to get some work on it in the next 18 months.”
He added: “I wouldn’t get on that bridge.” No-trespassing signs now appear at both ends, and fences will be erected shortly.
“We’re going to respectfully ask the public not to trespass on the bridge,” he said. “We’re really excited to save the bridge, to get it back to public use, but we don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
The association plans to eventually repair the bridge for pedestrian and bicycle use.
State highway officials closed the bridge to vehicular traffic in 2014 after a state inspection revealed grave deterioration in the structure.
The Missouri Department of Transportation later built a new bridge a few yards from the old bridge and the Interstate 44 bridge.
(Vintage postcard image of the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, via 66Postcards.com)