Max, it seems Missouri simply wants to "protect" people from "old" bridges. Return on investment, accountability for spending taxpayer's money, and common sense seem to have been displaced by the idea old is bad, new is good.
*sigh*
The scrappers had been chewing on it and may have caused it to become dangerous enough to become a safety issue. This one was not used. The similar bridge to the south is farm access and appears to be still present.
Updated the bridge page. Looking at satellite images and noticed it was gone. Really don't see the reason for its removal, wasn't in the way or anything?
This may have been their best choice. The bridge was historic but not unique. The section of road was closed and abandoned, not being preserved, and it was an attractive location for gatherings of students from the nearby university. The rails were minimal and many had been removed by scrappers. The place was not really safe even for a sober person in daylight.
I would have enjoyed seeing it turned into a little historic walk along a piece of preserved 1920s road but the cost of doing that or fencing it off completely was hard to justify when it could be removed for less.
The one to the south is pretty much the same and is still in local use for farm access. The road still has a vintage gas station. https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7911909,-93.7420124,3a,75y,6...