Highway 50 Bridge Replacement In Knob Noster Starts Thursday

Update: This article has been updated to include the February 8, 2024, start date. As well as the closure of North Vaughn Street and the duration of the project. 

The Missouri Department of Transportation is finally getting the bridge replacement project over the Union Pacific tracks in Knob Noster underway on Monday weather permitting.

Signs went up late last week on both sides of Highway 50 warning motorists that road construction would start in the area on Monday, February 5. That sign has since changed a couple of times, and a press release from MoDOT now says construction will begin Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 7:00 AM CST.

According to MoDOT, they will be replacing the westbound bridge deck on Highway 50 that crosses above the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Earlier this fall MoDOT built the crossovers which will move westbound traffic over to the eastbound lanes so they can close the westbound lanes and replace the bridge deck. Additionally, MoDOT has announced North Vaughn Street will be closed at Highway 50.

The construction project is expected to last until June 30, 2024, and all work will be done weather permitting.

The bridge across the Union Pacific Railroad in Knob Noster carries about 7,000 cars across it each day, and it was built in 1956. The bridge deck replacement will extend the life of the bridge according to MoDOT.

MoDOT had planned to start construction on the bridge last summer and had hoped to have it completed by the end of last year. At least for the start of the construction project, it looks like Mother Nature will be giving the men and women working on the project a little bit of a break.

This is just the start of construction on Highway 50, as MoDOT is planning future corridor safety projects near Warrensburg. MoDOT will be making corridor improvements from east of Route 58 to Business 50. The project includes constructing J turns at Business 50 as well as closing median crossovers. Construction on this project is expected to begin in the Spring of 2025.