Huge victory for Save the Riverside Bridge advocates as historic bridge re-opens

Local advocates for preserving the historic Riverside Bridge in Ozark, Missouri, scored a huge victory last month when county officials held a ribbon cutting to re-open the newly repaired bridge. 

Save the Riverside Bridge has been organizing local residents, attending meetings, writing editorials, and more to push county and road district officials to preserve the historic bridge, which has been closed for some years. County officials want to remove the old bridge and build a new two-lane bridge.  

Preservationists want to preserve the old bridge, which has the potential to be a key bicycle and pedestrian link in the region--whether or not a new bridge is built nearby.

KY3 reports:

After a ribbon cutting on Friday morning, this decades-old steel and concrete path to convenience is open again.  There’s no more detouring for motorists or bike riders like Robin and Jack House.

“It added to our commute.  We were over it five to six times a day,” they said.

Preservationists, longtime citizens, city and council officials made short sentimental strolls to commemorate its latest resurrection.  It was a heavenly moment for those like Kris Dyer who worked to keep it standing.

“I started crying.  Crossing the bridge is emotional for me.  It was lots of blood, sweat and tears,” said Dyer.

The Springfield News-Leader posted a video featuring interviews with residents abotu the bridge re-opening.  The News-Leader article adds more details: 

Engineers estimate that the bridge will be able to stay open for four to five years based on the repairs made.

“Basically, what was done was just enough to get it open, to correct the deficiencies that forced us to close it,” Schaller said.

Kris Dyer of Save the Riverside Bridge posted the following on the Save the Riverside Bridge Facebook page:

My family and I went to the Riverside Bridge this morning and it was so awesome to see so many people walking around looking at the bridge, riding their bicycles on the bridge, and driving on the bridge. Opening the bridge back up has brought so much more awareness to it than it ever has had and more appreciation.

The Save the Riverside Bridge campaign has been a model local advocacy effort--everything from letter-writing campaigns to raffles, a flea market, attendance at meetings, online organizing, and more. And it worked!

Ozark Special said they could not do a permanent complete repair on the bridge due to the fact that when the County was in control of it they received BRO funds and spent $100,000 of that money for planning in the area of the bridge. It is my understanding though that the County would not have to pay back the entire amount but only around 20% of that. But, Ozark Special and the County do not want that money paid back because both have said they want a new 2 lane bridge because of the increasing amount of people in Christian County. So all of that to say, please take care of the bridge and try not to speed on it or have multiple vehicles on it at one time in order to not wear it down and keep it in good condition. Thank you so much!

So the effort to preserve the bridge is not over--but there is no doubt that re-opening the bridge is a huge step and an important victory for preservation advocates.

Save the Riverside Bridge is a great example of the progress that can be made by local neighborhood organizinng and advocacy around issues that are important to citizens and neighbors. Congratulations to everyone involved with the Save The Riverside Bridge movement, and especially to indefatigable organizer and bridge champion Kris Dyer.

April Speed made this slideshow with scenes of the bridge:

 

Image credits: Save the Riverside Bridge Facebook page