MoDOT, District 8, Springfield -- Six bridges on state highways in Douglas County are scheduled to be replaced in 2011, including the Route B bridge over Bryant Creek, which will be closed for construction for up to 36 days starting March 7.

A public informational meeting about the Douglas County bridge projects is set for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, in the cafeteria at Ava High School, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

The meeting will be an open house-style. Visitors may stop in any time during the two hour session to look at maps and drawings and speak one-on-one with engineers involved in the bridge replacement projects.

The six bridge replacements in Douglas County are part of the statewide Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program. Under Safe and Sound, 802 bridges across Missouri are being replaced or repaired through 2013.

Each bridge in Douglas County will be closed to traffic for one to two months so the existing bridge can be taken down and a new bridge built. Keeping traffic away from each bridge during construction means the work can be done quicker, safer and cheaper.

State roads will be used as official detour routes, although drivers will have access to local roads that will help them get around each bridge closing.

The official detour for the Route B bridge will be Route 5, which intersects Route B to the north and south of where Route B will be closed at the bridge. However, drivers familiar with the area will be able to use county roads closer to the Route B bridge.

Fire, ambulance and law enforcement agencies will be notified of the bridge closings so they can plan how to respond to emergencies in those areas. Schools also will be notified so they can adjust bus routes.

Douglas County Bridges

Here is the bridge replacement schedule for Douglas County, although dates may change:

* Route B, Bryant Creek -- Closed March 7 and reopened by April 12 (36 days).

* Route 14, Cowskin Creek -- Closed April 4 and reopened by May 18 (44 days).

* Route 76, Red Bank Creek -- Closed April 26 and reopened by June 1 (36 days).

* Route 14, Fox Creek -- Closed May 24 and reopened by July 20 (57 days).

* Route 76, Beaver Creek -- Closed July 11 and reopened by Aug. 24 (44 days).

* Route 76, Bryant Creek -- Closed Oct. 10 and reopened by Dec. 6 (57 days).

In addition to the six Douglas County bridges being replaced this year under Safe and Sound, MoDOT will replace 23 other bridges in its 12-county Springfield region in 2011. They include two bridges in Ozark County, three bridges in Taney County, two bridges in Wright County and one bridge in Webster County.

(See attached list below)

KTU Contractors, chosen by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, is the prime contracting group building 554 bridges of the 802-bridge total in the Safe and Sound program. The KTU total includes the six bridges in Douglas County. Total cost for the 554 bridges: $487 million.