After months of construction, the Whitecliff Park Bridge officially opened April 23, about a week and a half ahead of schedule.
The temporary vehicle entrance off Vauk Lane near the tennis courts, utilized by park and community center attendees since construction began in September, will return to its original use as an emergency exit, though it will remain accessible to pedestrians.
This project occurred due to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s 2019 inspection of the bridge. MoDOT inspects six bridges spanning 20 feet or more throughout Crestwood every two years, and six years ago, its inspection rated two components of the Whitecliff main bridge as “poor,” with an overall sufficiency rating of 58%.
Because at least one component of the bridge was rated “poor,” the project was eligible for a federal grant as part of the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, which the city applied for and was awarded. The grant covered the majority of the estimated costs for the replacement, about $1.24 million, with Crestwood covering the remaining $750,000.
