CONCRETE FOR BRIDGE PIER TO BE POURED

One of the largest concrete pours for a single structure in the history of the Missouri Department of Transportation will take place this week.

The pour for the footing of Pier 2, one of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge's main support towers, is anticipated to take 24 hours, said department area engineer Randy Hitt.

Pier 2 is along the Mississippi River near Aquamsi Street.

The footing, which measure 60-by-100-by-12 feet, will take 10,440,000 pounds of concrete, or 2,667 cubic yards. The pour will also use 550,000 pounds of reinforcing steel.

"Motorists traveling in the area are urged to avoid Aquamsi Street Thursday and Friday," said Hitt. Concrete suppliers Delta Concrete Inc. and McDonald Co. Inc. will be hauling a total of 380 truck loads of concrete from their respective plants in Cape Girardeau starting at 5 a.m. today.

The concrete pour was originally scheduled for the end of February, but flooding forced postponement.

"This is a significant project for the new bridge," said Hitt. "With this pour we will be closer to an elevation so that future flooding will not halt work on this tower.

"Actually, people can't see a pier rising from the ground," said Hitt. "Most of the footing is underground."

During the second pour -- in about two to three weeks -- the pier will be visible, said Hitt and Matt Girard, project manager for Flatiron Structures Inc., the bridge contractor.

"Over the next couple of months, people will be able to see a tower rising," said Girard. "After this pour we'll be pouring additional concrete every two to three weeks."

Although Pier 2 will represent a record for the department, even larger concrete pours will be necessary on Piers 3 and 4, one of them near the middle of the Mississippi River.

"We'll be pouring as many as 4,400 cubic yards at one time at these piers," said Girard.

Work on the piers came to a halt in late February due to the rising Mississippi River. Work there won't continue for another six to eight weeks, depending on river levels. Work is expected to resume in late May or early June.

Work is continuing on two other phases of the $85.7 million bridge project.

The overpass for the Interstate 55-Highway 74 interchange is almost complete, said Hitt. "About all that's left is the painting," he said.

Penzel Construction Co. is contractor for the overpass.

Construction will get under way soon on extending Highway 74 from South Kingshighway to the connection at Interstate 55. Highway 74 will eventually connect the new Emerson Bridge.

Millstone Bangert Inc., a St. Louis-based construction company, has been awarded the contract for Highway 74 work.

Bangert has been responsible for all of the paving work for the new Highway 74, which is expected to be completed to Interstate 55 by late September.

"Hopefully, in early October motorists will be able to drive all the way from Interstate 55 to Sprigg Street on Highway 74," said Hitt. Currently, Highway 74 runs west from Sprigg Street but stops at South Kingshighway.

Work on the bridge approach in Illinois has also been halted due to high water. But the Illinois approach is ahead of schedule.