By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – Plans for a long-delayed Mississippi River bridge at St. Louis hit another snag when bids came in higher than expected.
Missouri Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Gates said the low bid of $229.5 million for the bridge's main span was $39 million higher than expected.
Gates said MoDOT is continuing to analyze the bids and hopes to make a recommendation in the next few weeks.
Officials in Missouri and Illinois want to begin building the four-lane bridge as early as next year; work would take four to six years.
The project has been delayed because of cost concerns and a dispute between the two states over whether to charge tolls. The new span will not be a toll bridge.