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by: Juan Cisneros, Tia Johnson
by: Juan Cisneros, Tia Johnson
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Another round of emergency repairs to the Christopher Bond Bridge caused two lanes of Interstate 35 to close Thursday.
Crews made repairs to an expansion joint from 9 a.m. through 2 p.m. The northbound lanes of I-35 between Levee Road and Front Street were closed throughout the duration of the repairs, causing a slowdown — and even a standstill at times — for drivers.
Temporary closures to the bridge have been going on for a few weeks as the Missouri Department of Transportation works to repair it.
MoDOT said some cover plates on the bridge have been cracking, but a spokesperson for the agency assures drivers the bridge is safe.
Jeffrey Hardy, assistant district engineer with MoDOT, said crews were working on one of the bridge’s expansion joints. It’s been a problem for some time.
“The intent was when the bridge was built, that those cover plates would’ve lasted the same life cycle as the finger joint that was underneath it. Unfortunately they haven’t,” Hardy said.
Hardy said the wear and tear over time is to blame.
“It’s really because of the fatigue loading, the vehicles driving across them. They flex over time and then with all medal where we weld, it will end up creating a weak point and it;s creating a crack there,” he said.
The recent work in a temporary fix. MoDOT is already working with a consultant to come up with a long-term solution.
“The bridge is perfectly safe. All cars can go across it. The finger joints that we’re talking about are smaller than most potholes that are out there,” Hardy said.
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