I-70 Bridge Over Missouri River Near Rocheport, Mo., Imploded

The Missouri Department of Transportation imploded the old Interstate 70 bridge that crosses the Missouri River near Rocheport, Mo., on September 10.

The new westbound bridge, which had already been built alongside, is named The Lance Corporal Leon Deraps I-70 Missouri River Bridge. It honors Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps, a Marine who died in combat in Al Anbar province during Operation Iraqi Freedom on May 6, 2006. He was 19 years old and from Jamestown, Mo. Traffic was rerouted onto the new bridge in June.

The next phase of the project will be construction of an eastbound bridge. That phase is expected to be completed in 2024. When completed, the new bridges will have two westbound and two eastbound lanes.

The Rocheport Bridge project is being led by a design-build team from Lunda Construction Company.

Video of the implosion, along with other information about the Lance Corporal Leon Deraps I-70 Missouri River Bridge, is available at www.modot.org/RocheportBridge.