Photo: Courtesy Ozark County Times
After being partially closed due to construction, Missouri Route J in Ozark County is open to traffic. The bridge over Lick Creek at Howards Ridge was recently replaced following a project lasting nearly five months.
The previous bridge, built in 1948, was closed for repairs April 27. According to the Ozark County Times, the new bridge was projected to open in August, but heavy rain during the early part of the project caused the opening to be delayed a month.
The bridge is located nearly 3 miles south of U.S. Highway 160. The Missouri Department of Transportation states it’s 26 feet wide and 236 feet long. The old bridge was 20 feet wide and 218 feet long. Contractor Phillips Hardy of Columbia was awarded the bid at $1,481,739.
Route J is a heavily-used route from Highway 160 to the state line, where the road becomes Arkansas Highway 201.
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