Route 79 Bridge over Bear Creek and NSRR

Project Type: Transportation,

Owner: MoDOT

Location: Hannibal, MO

KCI Role: General Contractor

Value: $12,455,000

Delivery Method: Bid Build

Completion Date: October 2024

Designer: HNTB

This project included the full replacement of the existing bridge over Bear Creek and the Norfolk Southern Railroad in Hannibal. The existing structure—comprised of structural steel spans with cast-in-place walls, foundations, and sonovoid approach spans—will be removed and replaced with a modern, more efficient bridge system

Work began with earthwork and grading to shorten the bridge length on the north end, allowing for backfill behind a newly constructed soldier pile wall with precast lagging panels supported by drilled shaft foundations. The new bridge foundation system features H-pile abutments and intermediate drilled shaft foundations to support the upgraded structure.

The substructure included eight standard bents, strategically positioned outside the existing bridge footprint to allow construction to occur prior to demolition of the old bridge. The new superstructure consists of NU-53 and NU-63 precast beams with stay-in-place metal decking and a full-depth concrete deck.

Additional work included construction within U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitted areas for the Bear Creek crossing, demolition and reconstruction over the active railroad alignment, roadway earthwork, drainage improvements, and new concrete pavement to reconstruct the bridge approaches.