Columbia City Council Approves Old Plank Road Culvert Project

The $620,000 project will replace a deteriorating culvert near Plank Way and Forum Boulevard.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Columbia City Council unanimously approved plans for a $620,000 culvert replacement project on Old Plank Road. The city will fund $337,000 of the project, with the remaining $282,763.10 coming from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Regional Bridge Program. The existing culvert has deteriorated, with 90% of the metal at the bottom rusted through, resulting in the loss of essential bedding material beneath the pipes.

Why it matters

Replacing the aging culvert is necessary to maintain safe and reliable infrastructure in the area. The project will address structural issues that could pose risks to public safety if left unaddressed.

The details

The replacement design calls for a 24-foot-by-6-foot precast arch structure. A public comment requested the city examine improving visibility to the west of the culvert and add a turn lane, but it's unclear if those additional improvements will be included.

  • The Columbia City Council approved the project on February 16, 2026.
  • A structural inspection in December 2020 determined the culvert had deteriorated significantly.

The players

Columbia City Council

The governing body of the city of Columbia, Missouri that approved the culvert replacement project.

Missouri Department of Transportation

The state transportation agency providing $282,763.10 in funding for the culvert project through its Regional Bridge Program.

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What’s next

The city will now move forward with the design and construction of the culvert replacement project.

The takeaway

This infrastructure project demonstrates the city's commitment to maintaining and upgrading critical transportation assets to ensure public safety and support continued economic development in the area.