By RYAN SKAITH

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced that the Tarkio River Bridge on Holt County Route 111, located west of Craig, will be closed beginning Monday, Feb. 2.

Bridge crews will be conducting core drilling at the site to gather essential data for an upcoming reconstruction project.

The closure will follow a specific schedule over several days. On Monday, Feb. 2, the bridge will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. Following the initial start, the bridge will remain closed daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, through Thursday, Feb. 5.

Motorists who normally travel this route will need to plan ahead and find an alternate path, as the bridge will be impassable during these working hours.

This preliminary work is being done in advance of a full bridge replacement, which is currently slated for the 2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).