Preliminary work on the new Highway 47 Missouri River bridge is progressing and crews could be working in the river within a couple of months. That was the word Monday from Judy Wagner, MoDOT area engineer for Franklin and Jefferson counties.Wagner said that work crews for the contractor, Alberici Constructors Inc., have completed clearing and grubbing work on both sides of the river as part of preparing staging areas.Construction trailers have been placed, she added, and depending on the weather, it’s possible construction crews could begin working in the river sometime in November.The work will start on the north end in Warren County, Wagner said.Crews soon will start building a rock embankment for a causeway out into the river. Security ConcernsWagner said as work proceeds, officials and the contractor are concerned about safety and the possibility of theft.“We need to keep people off the causeway and out of the work zones,” she said.Those areas are closed to the public, but there are concerns that people could access the work zones by boat.“We just don’t want any issues,” Wagner remarked.Alberici was awarded a $62.9 million contract to build the new bridge to replace the existing span which was completed in 1936.The tentative timetable calls for the new bridge to be opened for traffic by the end of 2018.The new 2,560-foot-long bridge is being built just to the west — upstream — from the existing span.The new structure is designed with two 12-foot driving lanes, two 10-foot shoulders and a 10-foot-wide biking/walking path along the west side. An overlook, where walkers and bikers can stop and view the river and cityscape, is proposed at the center bridge pier.The new bridge path will connect to the current biking/walking path along Highway 47, north of the river, which ties into the state’s Katy Trail at Dutzow, one of the longest continuous bicycle trails in the United States.The new bridge, designed by HDR, Inc., will have a 100-year life with limited maintenance and a variety of unique enhancements including variable depth, haunched steel girders and fluted bridge piers with architectural reveals.Demolition of the old bridge and finishing touches on the project will be completed in 2019.Highway 47 Missouri River Bridge