Chillicothe, Mo. - Chillicothe City Council members will address a full agenda when they gather for their regular council meeting Monday night at City Hall. Among items to be discussed will be a proposal for a cost share agreement between the city and the Missouri Department of Transportation to make road adjustments and close down the Route V/Bridge Street bridge over the IC&E railroad tracks on the east side of town and help construct a new bridge on Polk Street to handle the Route V traffic.

The state approached the city a couple of years ago regarding this issue, stating that the existing bridge is deteriorating. The all-wooden structure, believed to have been built in the 1940s, was at the time one of just two in Missouri which the state still maintained.

What is being considered is extending East Polk further on east to connect directly with Route V. In doing so, two 90-degree turns on the highway which connects with Broadway Street, would be eliminated from the main traffic route in that area. “Every year we look at bridges that are nearing their end of life and the bridge on Route V is nearing the end of its life,” said Preston Kramer, project manager with MoDOT.

Rather than replacing the bridge where it stands — which would be the lowest cost option — MoDOT approached the city about participating in a cost share agreement which would involve locating the bridge elsewhere to enhance traffic flow.