Caption: The Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge connects St. Louis on the east and Kansas City on the west opened to traffic on May 1, 1998. The toll bridge spans the main channel of the lake, connecting east side to west side
Source: Credit to the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge Transportation Development District
Project Name | Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge |
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Location | Lake Ozark, Missouri |
Project Sponsor / Borrower | Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge Transportation Development District |
Program Areas | |
Value Capture Techniques | Transportation Corporations & Transportation Improvement Districts (TID) / Transportation Development Districts (TDD) |
Mode | Toll Bridge |
Description | The Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge addresses the challenge of building a bridge across the Lake of the Ozarks to link the East Side (St. Louis side) to the West Side (Kansas City side). The bridge serves as a key traffic artery for both tourism and local traffic, expanding the business and recreational opportunities on both sides of the lake. In 1992, the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge Corporation (LOCBC) was formed to fund the $43 million project. Construction of the 2,695-foot, $18.2 million toll bridge began in March 1996, and the bridge was open to the public on May 1, 1998. In 2012, the LOCBC was restructured to transfer the bridge’s ownership and operation to the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge Transportation Development District (TDD). The funds generated by tolls are used to repay the bonds needed to finance the bridge systems' planning, development, and construction. The TDD hired Jacobs Engineering Group to conduct a study to determine the direction the governing board takes when it comes to reducing costs to pay off debts slower or using project surpluses to pay the debt off early to make the bridge debt toll-free. The study cost the TDD $17,800 and resulted in lowering the off-season toll rates so that local drivers would be able to commute to work with less of an impact. Another reason for conducting the study was that the previous debt agreement prohibited any modifications to the toll rates without a certification from a qualified toll consultant on the expected level of revenues under any toll rate schedule change. |
Cost | $43 million |
Funding Sources | The original financing was done privately, and the TDD later refinanced the project through a UDSA loan. |
Project Delivery / Contract Method | Design-Bid-Build |
Private Partner | N/A |
Project Advisors / Consultants | Jacobs Engineering Group |
Lenders | USDA |
Duration / Status | Construction began in 1996. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on May 1, 1998, and the bridge opened for revenue service on May 2, 1998 |
Financial Status / Financial Performance | With toll revenues in 2018 amounting to $3,822,213 and higher revenues projected in 2019, the project is expected to be paid off by 2026. |
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Contacts | Eric Faes |