2021 can't come fast enough for I-74 Bridge

This photo was taken in August, during a ride on the Channel Cat water taxi. 
The boat provides an excellent view to bridge construction during warm weather.

One of the most 'exciting' car trips a motorist can experience in the Quad-Cities is a ride on the existing Interstate 74 bridge over the Mississippi River.

In narrow lanes with little space on the sides, a driver maintains the posted 50 miles-per-hour speed limit or risks a terrible accident. The new, safer bridge cannot be built fast enough.

Construction of the basket-handle design project began in 2017, and is expected to wrap up in 2021. Four lanes will go in either direction, and one lane is dedicated to the continuation of bike paths in Bettendorf and Moline, which are on either side of the bridge.

According to an Oct. 30 article by Barb Ickes in the Quad-City Times, pieces of the bridge arch are to arrive later this month. These will rise 240 feet about the surface of the river when in place. Each of the first 12 sections is up to 60 feet long and 10 feet wide, and weighs up to 100 tons.

The bridge sections are being shipped by barge, so construction officials are keeping a close eye on the weather.

In addition, 239 drilled shaft foundations have been completed for both spans of the new bridge. These foundations are under water, and drilled 12-30 feet into the riverbed. The foundations will transfer loads into the bedrock for the piers that are visible above water, Ickes reported.

New roadways are also evident; one is clearly visible on the Bettendorf side.

The estimated $1.2 billion project is the most expensive in the history of Iowa, which is taking the lead on construction of the bridge, although the State of Illinois is also helping with the costs involved.

Intersections off of Interstate 74, from 53rd Street in Iowa to John Deere Road in Moline, are also to be redesigned and improved.

The people of the Quad-Cities have to contend with metro bridges. There are some drivers who go to great lengths to avoid even traveling on the existing I-74 Bridge, and I don't blame them.

For updates and very cool webcam views, check the website: i74riverbridge.com

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