Christian County Commission votes to move Green Bridge to new 40-acre campus

Almost six months after one of Christian County’s oldest bridges closed to traffic , the county has devised another plan to reuse Green Bridge. This time, the plan honors the right-of-way agreements made between Christian County officials and nearby landowners.

On July 9, the Christian County Commission voted unanimously in favor of a plan to relocate Green Bridge to its new 40-acre government campus, which broke ground last year.

Green Bridge was built over the Finley River in Christian County in 1912 and is among the oldest bridges in the county. The 112-year-old truss bridge has been a point of contention in the Ozark area since it closed in early February.

Some community members and officials have been vying to save Green Bridge. There were two options: leave the old bridge in place alongside the new bridge or move it somewhere else. But leaving it meant violating an agreement with landowners .

"I think that's one of the best things that we can do is find a reuse for it so that we don't erase our history. History is so important," said Christian County Eastern District Commissioner Bradley Jackson at the July 9 meeting. "But at the same time, a promise was made to these landowners."

What’s the controversy with Green Bridge?

Most landowners surrounding Green Bridge were in favor of removing or relocating the bridge as county officials originally told them they would do when they signed right-of-way agreements this spring. They were told that the old bridge could not stay in place due to the risk of a "100-year flood" sweeping the old bridge into the new one.

"It was our belief it was going to be removed and put in a different location if they could find somebody that would support that as far as financially," landowner Steve Haefling previously told the News-Leader.

But this spring, the City of Ozark came up with a plan to preserve Green Bridge in place . No longer suitable for vehicular traffic, the bridge would have been incorporated into a future trail system connected to Ozark and downtown Springfield. The bridge would be the pedestrian and bicyclist passage over the Finley River in its historic location.

"We're remaining positive that we can incorporate this into our trail system and preserve the historical and cultural aspects that that bridge brings to our community," Jeremy Parsons, public works director for the City of Ozark, told the News-Leader in May.

But the plan was met with passionate rebuttals from landowners, who said it violated the right-of-way agreements they signed. They were originally told construction of a new bridge meant the old bridge had to go.

They also didn’t want their backyards turning into a destination for hikers, bicyclists, and people seeking river access.

“They weren’t interested in maintaining that bridge in that place anymore. It further came to light that the county had committed to returning the right-of-way associated with that bridge to the property owners,” said Ben Declue, interim city administrator for Ozark (Declue was replaced by new City Administrator Eric Johnson on July 15).

More: With Green Bridge closed, HOA worries about emergency response times, home values

What’s the new plan for Green Bridge?

With its unanimous vote July 9, the Christian County Commission approved plans to rearrange the Green Bridge budget. Instead of paying to demolish the bridge, the county will pay to “selectively” demolish it and rebuild it on its new west campus. The sprawling 40-acre property will include trails and detention areas that could be used for outdoor activities. Now, it might also include Green Bridge.

Beadles devised the plan over a month and a half. She said in this location, Green Bridge would be visible from county buildings. It might even be visible from State Highway 14. Located outside but near one of the trails, visitors could walk through and touch the bridge.

But who will pay for the selective demolition, relocation, and rebuilding of Green Bridge?

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding being used to replace Green Bridge and two other historic bridges in the county offers some wiggle room. The county originally budgeted $4.9 million to replace Green Bridge but the final cost is expected to be closer to $3.3 million.

That extra $1.6 million offers some leeway for the relocation project, which will add around $200,000 to the overall cost of building a new bridge. Beadles did add that there could be additional unforeseen costs that come with taking apart and rebuilding a 112-year-old structure.

Saving Christian County bridges: A preservationist's perspective

Kris Dyer from Save Christian County Bridges is an Ozark native and specialist in historic bridge preservation. She spearheaded the 11-year movement to save Riverside Bridge in Christian County in 2010. Riverside Bridge now serves as a pedestrian connection across the Finley River in Ozark and is a centerpiece of Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris’ Finley Farms attraction that highlights the historic Ozark Mill.

Dyer has been on a mission to save Green Bridge, too. She has attended most if not all the meetings on Green Bridge held since February. She was surprised when landowners didn't want to keep Green Bridge in its historic location over the Finley River, even if that meant opening the area up to the public.

"This was a completely different experience from what I experienced with the historic Riverside Bridge, because the landowners and the neighbors of the historic Riverside Bridge, they wanted to keep their historic bridge," Dyer told the News-Leader. "To hear landowners and neighbors of historic Green Bridge say how much they want rid of their bridge saddened me."

Dyer is also concerned about the historical integrity of Green Bridge as the county prepares to selectively demolish and rebuild it on its Ozark campus. She wants to ensure the structure is taken apart carefully. Specifically, she wants the county to abide by standards set by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) so the bridge becomes eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

"I don't know if they're going to take it apart correctly to protect the historic integrity of the bridge," Dyer said.

Dyer said she drove over to the new west campus located at 2701 W. Jackson St. in Ozark to look around the planned home for Green Bridge. She said it was more wooded than she thought, but it's hard for her to imagine Green Bridge among a bunch of municipal buildings. She said she felt like the plan was vague and odd, but it could be a good thing.

"So to this day, I really don't know what they're going to do with Green Bridge," Dyer said. "I'm hoping they do the right thing."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Christian County Commission votes to move Green Bridge to new 40-acre campus