Built in 1986, the I-229 Double Decker Bridge has served as a critical commercial link between downtown St. Joseph and the industrial Stockyards District. The EA provided a platform to align the economic goals of MoDOT — focusing on cost-effective solutions — and the local community, which prioritized riverfront enhancement and economic development, through active public engagement. Hg Consult evaluated over 20 alternatives for replacing the bridge, ultimately recommending a cost-effective improvement strategy that best addressed the project’s Purpose and Need.