The new Chain of Rocks Bridge will welcome its first cars on July 11, when the westbound lanes of the Interstate 270 structure are open to traffic.
The new Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge on the left will replace the twin bridges on the right / Photo courtesy of the Illinois Department of Transportation
Under construction since 2011, the Illinois Department of Transportation plans to open the bridge fully by the end of September, when it will be opened to eastbound traffic. The $104 million structure replaces the 50-year-old truss bridges that currently span the Chain of Rocks Canal, just east of the Mississippi River. The existing bridge is nearing the end of its functional life, IDOT said.
The federal government is funding 90 percent of the project, and IDOT the remaining 10 percent. An estimated 54,700 vehicles cross the bridge each day, according to IDOT.
