The Chouteau Bridge a four-lane girder bridge on Route 269 across the Missouri River between Jackson County, Missouri, and

Clay County, Missouri Clay County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 253,335, making it the fifth-most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Libe ...

. The bridge is named for Francois Chouteau, who was a member of the

Chouteau Chouteau was the name of a highly successful, ethnically French fur-trading family based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which they helped found. Their ancestors Chouteau and Laclède initially settled in New Orleans. They then moved-up the Mississipp ...

fur trapping family and is considered the first permanent settler in Kansas City. There have been two bridges that have carried the name Chouteau Bridge. The first bridge was a three-span Whipple truss bridge, built in 1887, and was the second bridge over the Missouri River in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. In the beginning it was a railroad bridge built and used by The

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986. The company experience ...

, or also known as the Milwaukee Road. Upon the completion and opening of the

Harry S. Truman Bridge The Harry S Truman Bridge is a vertical lift rail drawbridge over the Missouri River connecting Jackson County, Missouri with Clay County, Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri. It has a 427 foot main span, and is the tenth longest span in the Un ...

downstream, the Chouteau was converted to vehicular use in 1951. The bridge was very narrow, and in the latter years was often closed because of accidents, and due to low weight issues, when it was reduced to 3 tons, it was closed permanently, and removed by implosion in 2001. It was the oldest bridge on the river when it was demolished. In 2001, a new span was built a few yards upstream of the old span. The north end of the bridge is near the entrance for the Harrah's Casino.

External links

Bridgehunter profile
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Kansas City Public Library history
* {{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place = Missouri River , bridge = Chouteau Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream = Paseo Bridge(Old)
Christopher S. Bond Bridge (Kansas City) (Current) , upstream signs = , downstream = I-435 Bridge (East Crossing) , downstream signs = Bridges in Kansas City, Missouri Bridges completed in 1887 Bridges completed in 2002 Bridges over the Missouri River Buildings and structures in Clay County, Missouri Buildings and structures in Jackson County, Missouri Historic American Engineering Record in Missouri Road bridges in Missouri 2002 establishments in Missouri Girder bridges in the United States

See also

External links