Missouri's Epic Bridge Makeover Could Win a National Title, But Only If You Do This One Thing

A groundbreaking Missouri initiative that transformed the state's rural landscape is now on the national stage, and it needs your help to clinch the top spot! The Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) ambitious Focus on Bridges program has officially been named a finalist in the highly competitive 2025 America’s Transportation Awards, setting the stage for a nationwide showdown.

From Crumbling Crossings to National Contender

Cast your mind back just a few years. Missouri was facing a critical infrastructure problem: 250 of its bridges, many of them vital lifelines in rural, farm-dependent communities, were in desperate need of repair or complete replacement. In 2019, MoDOT launched a monumental effort to tackle this challenge head-on, targeting the state's absolute worst bridges.

In what can only be described as a stunning display of efficiency and commitment, the Focus on Bridges program accomplished its goal in just four years. All 250 targeted bridges were successfully repaired or replaced, securing crucial transportation routes and reinforcing the backbone of Missouri’s number one industry—agriculture. This wasn't just about fixing infrastructure; it was about investing in people, guaranteeing safer, more reliable travel for thousands, and bolstering the long-term economic resilience of the state's rural heartland.

Your Vote Can Make the Difference

After dominating the regional competition and taking first place, the program is now vying for two of the nation's most prestigious transportation accolades: the Grand Prize and the coveted People’s Choice Award. While a panel of experts will decide the Grand Prize, the People’s Choice Award is entirely in the hands of the public—and that means you.

This is a chance for Missourians to help a homegrown success story get the national recognition it deserves. State officials have credited the program's success to a massive collaborative effort, involving the governor and state lawmakers, which proved what Missouri can achieve when it works together. Now, that collaboration extends to the public.

By casting a simple online vote, you can help the Focus on Bridges program bring home a national title. Let's show the rest of the country the power of community support and celebrate this incredible achievement for the Show-Me State!