New highway links spanning the Mississippi River

Construction work is now underway for new bridges carrying the I-74 Interstate highway across the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois in the Quad Cities area. The project forms part of a US$1 billion programme of works intended to cut congestion at peak periods along the route. This will improve traffic flow and reduce journey times for drivers. The project is being planned jointly by the Department of Transportation for Illinois and the Department of Transportation for Iowa. The highway bridges will be designed and constructed by Modjeski and Masters. Consulting engineer Alfred Benesch & Company is also working on the project. The new bridge links will provide six lanes for traffic in either direction as well as facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction should be complete in 2022, at which time the existing bridge connection will then be demolished.