The toll bridge at the Lake of the Ozarks stopped collecting tolls Tuesday

The toll bridge at the Lake of the Ozarks stopped collecting tolls Tuesday after more than 25 years as the state’s only toll road.
Ownership of the bridge was transferred to the state of Missouri. The Community Bridge Transportation Development District says the funding from the tolls generated enough funds to fully pay all outstanding mortgage bonds and other liabilities. It was previously estimated the bridge would be toll-free by 2026, which means the bridge became toll-free two years earlier than estimated. The bridge, which connects the east and west sides of the Lake of the Ozarks near the 16-mile marker of the main channel, first opened in May 1998. Collection fees cost $3 for a passenger vehicle in season and up to $8 for a five-axle truck.