Along66, March 2023: Bringing Back the Meramec River Bridge and Saving the Santa Monica Pier

MARCH 5

Missouri budget plans include $6 million to rebuild the bridge at Route 66 State Park outside of St. Louis near Eureka.  It will be a pedestrian bridge.  

It is 20 feet wide and 1,008 feet long and closed October 2009 and the driving surface removed.

Known as the Meramec River Bridge and was built at Times Beach in 1932.  Times Beach was evacuated in the 1980s because of dioxin contaminant.

The main office of the park is at the former Steiny's Inn restaurant.

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MARCH 6

Santa Monica Pier was saved from destruction fifty years ago.  It opened in 1909 to carry sewage pipes out to sea.    By 1916, it started looking as it does today.

Sure glad they kept it.

--RoadDog

Along66, August 2021: Reopening the Old Meramec River Bridge in Missouri

AUGUST 24

The Great Rivers Greenway plans to restore the bridge at Route 66 State Park in Missouri.

The Meramec River Bridge has been long-closed and its deck removed ten years ago.

The cost of reopening the bridge has been placed at $9 million.

It was built in 1932 at Times Beach, Missouri.  In the 1980s, Times Beach had to be abandoned because of dioxin contamination owing to attempts to keep the dust down.

The soil of the town was incinerated and then it became a part of the Route 66 State Park with its main office at the old Steiny's Inn and the bridge connected the two parts of the park, but it was found that the bridge could no longer support traffic, leading to its closure.  

Now, you have to get back on I-44 to go to the two parts.  Kind of a dangerous thing.

We were fortunate to get a chance to drive across the bridge before it was closed.

--RoadDog