ST. LOUIS, MO — Jerilyn Hassard, PE, SE, recently received the 2019 Innovative Transportation Award from WTS St. Louis. Each year, the award is given to a woman who has led an innovative transportation project. Hassard received the award in recognition of her work on the Martin Luther King Bridge Approach Structure Replacement project.

The Martin Luther King Bridge has connected St. Louis, Missouri, with East St. Louis, Illinois, for more than 65 years. This 4,000-foot, three-lane bridge stretches over the Mississippi River, connecting I-55 and I-64, U.S. 40 and Martin Luther King Drive with the downtown streets of St. Louis.

The MLK Bridge Approach Structure Replacement project replaced the 16-span MLK Approach structure over IL Route 3, various railroads, Missouri Avenue and I-55SB/I-64WB with a new five-span composite steel plate girder structure consisting of four straight spans and one curved span. Upon the decision to fully close the MLK Bridge and ramps, seven additional structures with various types of maintenance repairs were added to the project.

Hassard managed the project team, coordinating between several agencies and providing the major last-minute bridge repair additions.

“The MLK Bridge Approach Replacement project was a great project with a diverse project team,” Hassard said. “It just so happens that many of the incredible team members I was privileged to work with were women. It would not have been as successful as it was without all of them.”

The Martin Luther King Bridge has served as a key point of traffic relief and is a vital connection needed to efficiently move traffic through these communities. The rehabilitation project has helped to ensure the bridge will be able to continue playing this role for years to come.