(KLZA)-- The Missouri Department of Transportation on Tuesday, celebrated the completion of Gov. Mike Parson- Focus on Bridges program that restored or replaced 250 of the state- poorest bridges over the last four years.

Among the bridge projects were six bridge rehabilitation projects in Holt County totaling $5,585,000 and two bridge rehab projects in Atchison County, Missouri totaling $6,132,000.

Established in 2019, the Focus on Bridges program was one of Gov. Parson's first major investments in transportation infrastructure.

The final project replaced the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over Interstate 70 in Independence and made interchange improvements to the ramps and approaches. The bridge will officially reopen to motorists on Dec. 22, just four years after the first bridge under the program opened on Dec. 20, 2019, in Iron County.

MoDOT is responsible for maintaining 10,424 bridges on the state system, the sixth most in the nation. The average age of the bridges is 49 years, and most of them were designed to last 50 years.

Prior to Governor Parson- focus on infrastructure, the number of bridges rated as “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria, were increasing year over year rather than declining as now seen in Missouri. Currently there are 804 bridges that have been rated “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria, down 19 from a year ago.

Gov. Parson- Focus on Bridges program was was made possible through a $50 million appropriation from General Revenue as well as $301 million in bond revenue approved by the Missouri General Assembly in 2019. M