Between the whooshing of freezing winds and the sounds of passing highway traffic Tuesday morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of the new eastbound Rocheport Bridge.
The event was purely ceremonial because the bridge still needs some finishing touches, like road stripes, before it is complete and ready to accommodate traffic by the end of the year.
Among the invite-only crowd were Gov. Mike Parson, Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, Missouri Department of Transportation Director Ed Hassinger, as well as the family of Lance Cpl. Leon Deraps, for whom the bridge is named. Deraps gave his life during the Iraq War while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
For Parson, this marked what is likely his last MoDOT event before his term is up in January.
“There’s a new sheriff coming to town, so it’s time for me to go home,” said Parson, who has been advocate for improving bridges and highway infrastructure throughout his tenure.
During the event, several speakers praised the governor for his leadership during the period of the bridge’s construction. The speakers also thanked the members of Missouri’s congressional delegation for helping secure federal funding as part of the $220 million project.
Another reference point was the importance of the bridge itself.
According to several speakers, the bridge is meant to last 100 years and is vital to the national economy due to Missouri’s central location in the United States.
The completed project, allowing three lanes in both directions, will merge seamlessly with the ongoing Interstate 70 expansion project.
In the past, several members of MoDOT have voiced confidence for the upcoming administration’s support, citing Kehoe’s work on the Highway Commission from 2005 to 2010. Kehoe will be sworn in as governor next month.
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.