Sites For New Champ Clark Bridge Being Reviewed

Site options for a new Louisiana bridge are being narrowed.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says it plans to unveil its two or three top choices at a public hearing in a few weeks.

A final selection is expected next year.

Although the state doesn't have the estimated 100 million dollars for construction, the project is a top priority.

The 85-year-old Champ Clark Bridge is too narrow for most modern traffic. A deadly accident in December 2011 killed an executive of Stark Brothers Nurseries and led to a federal lawsuit.

An environmental study for a new bridge is being done now. The state also plans to change the intersection of Highway 79 and Highway 54 at the west entrance to the bridge.