JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission today took the next step in a plan to improve more than 800 of the state's lowest-rated bridges by selecting Missouri Bridge Partners as the apparent "best-value" to deliver the Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program under a Design-Build-Finance-Maintain model.

The Commission voted to continue negotiations with Missouri Bridge Partners in an effort to come to final contract terms in the coming weeks. Issues remain to be resolved in the areas of finance, risk and responsibilities. If negotiations are successful work could begin around the state this spring.

If not, MoDOT Director Pete Rahn said other delivery methods would be explored to deliver the bridge improvements. "Safe & Sound has always been about fixing bad bridges quickly and economically," he said.

The Safe & Sound program pledges to replace or rehabilitate 802 bridges, with at least one in every county, within the next five years. MoDOT would then pay for the program using a portion of its federal bridge replacement funds over 25 years, a period during which Missouri Bridge Partners is responsible for maintaining the bridges in good condition.

Major participants on the Missouri Bridge Partners team include: Zachry American Infrastructure, Parsons Transportation Group, Fred Weber, Inc., Clarkson Construction, HNTB and Infrastructure Corporation of America.

Until a contract is executed, details of the proposals remain confidential.

###