The U.S. Exercise Tiger Foundation and other veterans are asking the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to support a 70-yard blacktopped lane that would only be used by first responders now that Columbia’s St. Charles road bridge over I-70 has been demolished.
Crews worked on the demolition all weekend and I-70 lanes reopened Sunday afternoon. Walt Domanski of the Exercise Tiger Foundation briefed reporters near the construction site:
“This is about standing up and having the back of our Columbia firefighters and police as well as county fire, deputy sheriffs and Missouri State Highway Patrol,” Mr. Domanski says.
The group envisions a temporary single-lane emergency access road along I-70 drive, while crews build a new bridge in that location. Mr. Domanski describes this as a doable solution.
The U.S. Exercise Tiger Foundation is worried about the safety of first responders who will have to drive several miles out of their way going to scenes, now that Columbia’s St. Charles road bridge over I-70 has been demolished. Foundation executive director Susan Haines is calling on MoDOT to back a 70-yard emergency vehicle access road that would only be used by first responders until the new bridge is completed:
“It’s very important for us to be an advocate for the emergency individuals that service our community. We’re looking at our firefighters, we’re looking at our police. We’re looking at our first responders,” Haines says.
Ms. Haines notes with the closure of the Lake of the Woods overpass and the outer road at Woodridge, there is now only one way in or out of the area bordered by I-70, St. Charles road and the Hominy creek.