BETTENDORF, IOWA – Gov. Kim Reynolds and Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner broke ground Monday afternoon launching a three-and-a-half year construction project to build a new Interstate 74 Mississippi River Bridge. The project will improve safety and travel through the I-74 corridor.
“The Iowa and Illinois departments of transportation, along with their design partners, have come up with a plan for a safe, modern and visually spectacular structure that will replace two aging bridges,” Gov. Reynolds said. “This new bridge will serve as a vital east-west link for the Midwest and help both states improve their regional and global options for moving goods.”
Iowa and Illinois share jurisdiction of the I-74 corridor. The Iowa Department of Transportation is the lead agency for the bridge construction project and corresponding projects within Iowa. The Illinois Department of Transportation is a partner in the project and the lead agency for related projects within Illinois. Both agencies are working closely to coordinate construction activities with the cities of Bettendorf, Davenport, Moline and Rock Island.
“Working together, our states and communities will build a modern, state-of-the-art project that showcases the quality of our workforce and creates economic opportunity for generations to come,” Gov. Rauner said. “We are building more than just a bridge, but a vital piece of the country’s transportation network that will promote commerce throughout the Midwest.”
Construction will begin later this summer and is expected to be complete in 2021. In addition to the bridge reconstruction, the estimated $1.2 billion project will improve travel along I-74 between 53rd Street in Davenport and Avenue of the Cities in Moline, better connecting and growing communities on both sides of the Mississippi River. A new pedestrian and bike path connecting to existing local paths is also included in the project.
For updates on the construction schedule, lane detours and road closures, or to get the most up-to-date construction news, visit the project website at I74RiverBridge.com.
Four years to build a fricken bridge, are you kidding? No wonder it is going to cost $1.2 billion. They should be able to do this in one year, fricken government. Trump would get it done if he hired the contractors in a year,and for half that price.
Fact – State of Illinois is bankrupt -owes 250 billion dollars -a lot of it is the public servant retirement fund – their state issued bonds are now junk bonds and if they cannot pass a budget this week All construction projects will have to be halted because there is NO money to pay for them – Good luck to them but their liberal policies of the past is coming back to haunt them. By the way Iowa has billions in unfunded liabilities to the same pension fund.
Time to cut that pension fund and put them on 401’s like everyone else. We just can’t afford the liberal charity.