Broadway Bridge
Photos
View from Right Descending Bank (Jackson County)
Photo taken by Mark Frazier October 2007
BH Photo #133536
Facts
- Overview
- Steel tied through arch bridge over Missouri River on Broadway Blvd (US 169) in Kansas City
- Location
- Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, and Clay County, Missouri
- Status
- Open to traffic
- Future prospects
- At risk for demolition and replacement. The city is seeking to have MoDOT replace the bridge.
- History
- Built 1955; rehabilitated 1990, tolls removed 1991
- Builders
- - American Bridge Co. of New York (Contractor, Fabrication At Ambridge Plant)
- Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff Corporation of Kansas City, Kansas (Design)
- Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co. of St. Louis, Missouri (Fabricator, A Few Bridge Elements, Incl. Bridge Shoes)
- Design
- Main spans: Three Steel through tied arch spans with wire cable hangers. Approach spans: Built-up riveted steel stringer spans.
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 540.0 ft.
Total length: 2,547.2 ft. (0.5 mi.)
Deck width: 48.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 14.5 ft.
- Also called
- Buck O'Neil Bridge (Official Name as of June 24, 2016)
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.11338, -94.58990 (decimal degrees)
39°06'48" N, 94°35'24" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/362543/4330561 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Kansas City
- Land survey
- T. 50 N., R. 33 W., Sec. 31
- Average daily traffic (as of 2016)
- 34,601
- Inventory numbers
- MoDOT A-4649 (Missouri Dept. of Transportation bridge number)
MONBI 3807 (Missouri bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 21296 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection report (as of July 2017)
- Overall condition: Poor
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Sufficiency rating: 37.9 (out of 100)
View more at BridgeReports.com
Update Log
- March 29, 2019: New photos from Neil Krout
- September 13, 2016: New photo from John Marvig
- July 6, 2016: Updated by Nathan Holth: Added alternative name, and refined design description.
- July 5, 2016: Updated by Clark Vance: Added category "Former toll"
- January 19, 2016: Updated by Nathan Holth: Add categorty Tied Arch.
- November 8, 2013: Updated by Nathan Holth: This bridge is now doomed.
- February 7, 2013: Updated by Nathan Holth: Added engineer, contractor, fabricator.
- November 7, 2010: New photos from David Backlin
- January 5, 2010: New photo from Eric Kinkhorst
- February 15, 2009: New photos from Mark Frazier
- June 6, 2008: Updated by Max Johnson
- April 23, 2008: Updated by Max Johnson
Sources
- Mark Frazier - mfrazier404 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Eric Kinkhorst - erick [dot] bud [at] gmail [dot] com
- David Backlin - us71 [at] cox [dot] net
- Nathan Holth
- News Article On Demolition Project. - (dead link)
- John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Neil Krout - kickinpony [dot] 66 [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Would be great if they could keep the bridge as a park. Pathetic that they would try to demolish only a few years after renaming. If they tear it down and name a UCEB after Buck, how disrespectful.
A pipe dream being floated to convert part of the bridge into a park.
https://cityscenekc.com/converting-oneil-bridge-to-linear-pa...
The end is drawing nearer. Apparently not satisfied with blowing up a landmark historic bridge, MoDOT found a few buildings to level as well.
https://fox4kc.com/news/building-demolition-planned-to-clear...
I found this of interest because my examination of the historic bridge's approach suggests that the historic bridge was carefully designed around existing buildings and streets. Bents and girders are carefully placed for this purpose.
Missouri DOT unveiled renderings of the proposed new bridge. It's an ugly UCEB. The Mayor of Kansas City is NOT happy about the design.
https://fox4kc.com/news/glimpse-of-what-kansas-citys-new-220...
how tall is this dam bridge
Now that I am logged in on the computer, I am glad to see that Mr. Buck O'Neil has been recognized in this manner.
Never try to post comments with a new cell phone...
Make that Nick O'Neil... phone kept autocorrecting to Nick O'Noel, whoever he is...
Glad to see something named after Buck O'Niel That man had a very positive impact on Kansas City. His rejection from entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame shortly before his death was a sad day in Kansas City. Being the gracious man he was, he took it all in stride. He was elected the following year after his death IIRC.
Field visited this bridge June 2016. No indication of a plaque for this bridge on BridgeHunter. I drove RIGHT BY IT. My GoPro caught it, but my eyes didn't... if you are a safe driver your eyes won't be looking where it is. Such that future bridgehunters might enjoy the knowledge of where the plaque is, please be advised it hides between two trees, mounted on the concrete retaining wall for the north approach, on the east side of the north roundabout that intersects Harlem Avenue. 39.116779, -94.590741
Interest is building locally to save it:
https://www.facebook.com/savethebroadwaybridge?fref=ts
Recent news says there is a desire to replace, but that repair is also an option.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city-wants-state-to-replace-...
I recall when this was built. At the time it simply connected city streets. Now on the north side of the river the bridge has been linked to limited access expressways while the south side empties into a stop light. The geometry here is a bad adaptation which probably can't be improved, even with a second, parallel span.
The current roadway is hemmed in by the airport to the west and a main rail line (including the Hannibal bridge crossing) to the east. My guess is that the best solution for handling increased traffic will involve a major realignment of the crossing to the east. None of this will be as cheap as maintaining the current bridge (and the poor traffic flow).
I am surprised. The Fairfax Bridge is actually more historically significant and is in immediate danger of demolition. Both would be a big loss.
Photo taken in July showing the convergence between the Broadway and the Hannibal Bridge next to it
Photos taken June 23 2012
The topo map for this bridge is not the correct map.
The Edwardsville Kansas Quadrangle comes up instead.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/mo/jackson/broadway/
City funding a feasibility study: https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2022/05/24/buck-...