Portal View of Liberty Bridge
Liberty Bridge, Profile View
Liberty Bridge
Bridge Location
County: Jackson
Road: Missouri Route 291
Feature Crossed: Missouri River
Other Location Information:
Structure Number or County Bridge Number: Bridge No. L0568
Bridge Information
Owner: Missouri Department of Transportation
Type: Cantilever Warren Through Truss
Length: 1,882 feet
Width: 24 feet
Year Built: 1949
Builder: Mount Vernon Bridge Company
Current Load Rating: 45 Tons
History of Modifications, Rehabilitations, etc.: The bridge deck was replaced in 2002 along with rehabilitation to the deck floor system, and substructure repairs.
Other Comments:
For further information and proposal submittals, interested parties may contact:
Name: Historic Preservation Section
Organization: MoDOT
Address: P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102
Email: co_historic_preservation@modot.mo.gov
Phone: (573) 526-4778
Narrative Description:
The Liberty Bend Bridge, L0568, is a 1,882-foot rigid-connected cantilever Warren through truss constructed by the Mount Vernon Bridge Company of Mount Vernon, Ohio in 1949. The bridge was designed by Sverdrup and Parcel of St. Louis, Missouri.
Bridge L0568 has a total length of 1,882 feet and has six approach spans and two main spans. Spans one and eight are girder beam approach spans. Spans two, three, six, and seven are warren deck truss approach spans. Spans four and five are warren through trusses. The girder beam approach spans are each 107 feet. Each Warren through truss span is 459 feet each and have 14 panels. The Warren deck trusses are 185 feet each and have six panels per span. The bridge’s truss members are built-up members comprising of channels, plates, and angles.
The Liberty Bend Bridge is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A and C for significance in transportation and engineering. The Liberty Bend bridge is an excellent example of a major river bridge in Missouri and as an early example of a superhighway design, which became popular in the mid-twentieth century. The Liberty Bend bridge is also associated with efforts to divert the Missouri River to remove a large bend and straighten the river channel.
MoDOT’s Historic Preservation Section is now accepting proposals for the relocation and reuse of the bridge or its components until September 30, 2024. Preservation in place might be acceptable once project plans have developed and a preferred alternative is selected. A proposal checklist is available MoDOT’s Free Bridges website (http://www.modot.org/freebridges/). Preservation covenants may accompany the bridge.