Report: Jackson bridges need to be replaced, repaired

Jackson needs to replace at least one of its bridges in the next five years, another by 2029, and initiate a regular maintenance program for the rest of them, according to a report being presented tonight to the Jackson Board of Aldermen.

The aldermen will discuss the report, prepared as part of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Bridge Engineering Assistance Program, during their study session. The study session will follow the board’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. today.

Smith & Company Engineers of Cape Girardeau inspected all 15 bridges in Jackson using federal National Bridge Inspection (NBI) standards and rated four of them to be in “good” condition, 10 as “fair” and one, the Sunset Drive Bridge over Hubble Creek, as “poor.”

“The Sunset Drive bridge over Hubble Creek is severely degraded and structurally deficient,” according to the report, which said that bridge “will require replacement” in the next five years.

“Many of the remaining bridges require one-time preventive maintenance actions to repair defects,” the report states.

The Sunset Drive bridge was built in 1964 and, according to the report, “appears to be near the end of its service life” with “exposed reinforcement on the underside of (the) deck over the entire structure” and “vertical cracking” in abutments and beams as well as exposed rebar along the bottom of some support beams.

“Due to the extent and cost of repairs, we recommend the bridge be replaced,” according to the report, which estimated the bridge replacement cost at $326,410.

In addition to recommending the replacement of the Sunset Drive bridge, the report also suggested replacement of Jackson’s oldest span, the East Main Street bridge over Goose Creek. That bridge, built in 1922, has some structural deficiencies that can be repaired in the coming years. However, the Smith & Company report states the bridge “appears to be near the end of its service life” and “we recommend this bridge be replaced in the next 10 years.”

The engineering company estimated the cost to replace the East Main Street bridge at $325,000.

The report recommends Jackson establish a maintenance plan for the other 13 bridges in order to extend their useful lives. The bridge “preservation” strategy “combines long-term reconstruction or replacement fixes, medium-term rehabilitation fixes and short-term preventive maintenance fixes with a regular program of scheduled maintenance,” the report states. “Implementing this balanced mixture will increase the life expectancy and preserve the overall health of the city’s bridge network.”

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Jackson bridges

The following is a list of Jackson bridges that were inspected as part of the city’s bridge plan and prepared by Smith & Company Engineers of Cape Girardeau. Each bridge is listed by location, year of construction and rating, based on National Bridge Inspection (NBI) standards. Bridges with ratings of 7 or better are considered “good,” ratings in the 5-6 range are “fair” while bridges with ratings of 4 or lower are “poor.”

Bridge Year Built NIB Rating

East Main Street over ditch 1980 6

Jackson Ridge Drive over Walker Creek 2007 6

East Deerwood Drive over Hubble Creek 2007 7

Independence Street over Hubble Creek 1998 6

West Adams Street over Hubble Creek 1988 7

West Main Street over Hubble Creek 1930 6

Old Cape Road over Goose Creek 1997 7

Jackson Trail over Goose Creek 1991 6

Sunset Drive over Hubble Creek 1964 4

Oak Street over Rockey Creek 1972 6

West Washington over Hubble Creek 1997 6

East Main Street over Goose Creek 1922 4

East Adams over Goose Creek 1973 6

Old Cape Road over Williams Creek 1990 7

South Old Orchard Road over Williams Creek 1990 7