Tiffany Springs Bridge Supports Growth for the City of Kansas City, MO

More than 10 years ago, the City of Kansas City, Missouri set the process in motion to rebuild the Old Tiffany Springs Road Bridge and Donovan Drive. The area was developing rapidly, and they needed a safer travel route to serve those crossing I-29 or making a connection to nearby commercial, residential, and recreational developments.

The existing bridge over I-29 was functionally obsolete. In addition to its poor condition, it had just two driving lanes and was missing a shoulder and pedestrian access. To meet the demands of the area, the project included the construction of a 4-lane bridge over I-29; a new, 4-lane, divided roadway; demolition of the existing bridge; construction of a new, 2-lane, Donovan Drive connector; ADA sidewalks; and a pedestrian/bicycle trail system throughout the project limits.

Affinis was selected to provide construction engineering services, including construction administration and inspection work. In this role, our team managed the construction process from the pre-construction meeting to completion and close-out of the project.

Our Construction Engineering Services group served as the “eyes and ears” of the city. It was our responsibility to make certain the project was constructed to the specifications and standards of our client and the completed product met their expectations.

One challenge we encountered on the project was the large amount of soil that was of poor quality for construction. The Kansas City, Missouri materials lab, the contractor, and Affinis worked diligently to find and only use suitable soils for the improvements. Compounding this issue was the record setting precipitation the city received from the fall of 2018 through the summer of 2019. Affinis’s team stayed on top of the situation, working with the contractor to build a quality fill that met all the city’s specifications and standards in adverse conditions.

The new roadway offers a safer route for a variety of users. It adds new segments to the City’s trail system that connects both sides of I-29, creating a continuous route for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition to supporting multi-modes of transportation, the area around the construction will also benefit from a more attractive, accessible traffic corridor to spur economic development.