Langston Hughes Broadway Bridge reopens

(From the City of Joplin)

The Langston Hughes Broadway Bridge repair project has been completed ahead of schedule, with traffic able to travel across the structure once again.

The 620-foot-long bridge located between Landreth and Virginia Streets on Langston Hughes Broadway is a significant overpass that takes drivers past the Donald C. Clark Public Safety and Justice Center and connects Florida Avenue traffic to Main Street and Downtown Joplin.

The City closed the bridge on Aug. 3, anticipating repair work would take several weeks. It reopened with the work completed on Aug. 6. The City contracted KCI Construction for the project, which replaced the old, steel expansion joints on each end of the bridge with a new water-tight joint system that uses polymer material.

Expansion joints are critical on a bridge because they help the structure grow and shrink as it responds to varying factors such as weather and weight of vehicles.

The result is a much quieter driving experience as you cross the 41-year-old bridge. Coty Pringle, a Project Coordinator with the City’s Public Works department, said the former expansion joints were not only noisy, but creating a hazardous situation. 

The week before closing the bridge for repair, crews closed one lane because the hot temperatures damaged a steel joint, making the lane undrivable. The entire bridge was closed days later for the planned work.

The City anticipates the new expansion joints will preserve the historic bridge for many years to come.

“This was a fast-tracked project, and we’re appreciative of the contractor for their speed and expertise,” said Pringle. “We know there are a lot of road projects in motion this summer and we’re thankful to drivers, business owners and residents for their patience as we make improvements and repairs.”