Story Published:
Dec 17, 2009 at 6:50 AM CDT
Story Updated:
Dec 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM CDT
BRANSON, Mo. -- Nineteen thousand drivers deal with daily traffic delays on the bridge over Lake Taneycomo. People from Hollister, Forsyth, and Kirbyville use Missouri 76/Business 65 to get to the tourist town.
There's now a plan to ease congestion on the span. The Missouri Department of Transportation is breaking ground on Thursday on a second bridge, 50 feet downstream from the current one. When it's done, traffic will be able to travel in both directions on each bridge, plus the stop light will be taken out and turned into a roundabout.
Perhaps even better news: during working and daylight hours, there will always be some way to cross the lake, without a detour.
"When we start construction, we'll keep traffic on the old bridge and keep one lane in each direction on Route 76 open at all times, and we'll build the new one," said MoDOT project engineer Chad Zickefoose.
"Hopefully it will be done quick and done right", said Clem Viall, driver. "Making it better would be the best thing to do".
For a map of the bridge project, click here.
