New Mississippi River Bridge Groundbreaking Postponed

Officials From Washington D.C. Stuck in Snow Storm

FOX2now.com

10:17 a.m. CST, February 26, 2010

DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—

Plans for a new Mississippi River bridge between Missouri and Illinois at St. Louis are being postponed Friday. Officials from Washington, D.C. weren't able to make it due to severe weather on the East Coast. The groundbreaking was suppose to take place Friday at 12:30. While the event has not been rescheduled, MoDOT officials say the work on the bridge will start.

"Members of Congress on both sides of the river and officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation played vital roles in securing funding for the new bridge and ensuring that this important transportation improvement became a reality," said MoDOT Director Pete Rahn. "We want to make sure that they get the recognition they so rightly deserve."

The four-lane span is expected to cost $670 million and ease congestion at one of the nation's busiest crossings. The project had been stalled for years because of bickering between the two states over costs and whether it should charge tolls. The bridge is expected to be completed by the middle part of the decade.

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