MISSISSIPPI RIVER BANK, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Transportation held a joint groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 31 for the Don Welge Memorial Bridge (formerly Chester Bridge) on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River, about 14miles north of Perryville.
The new bridge will connect Perryville, Mo. and Chester, Ill. across the Mississippi River.
Speakers included MoDOT Project Director Brian Okenfuss, IDOT Director Stephen Travia and MHTC Vice Chair Dustin Boatwright, among others.
Here is a link to a drone video of the construction site, recorded Thursday, Nov. 2 by Neal Adams:
https://www.facebook.com/100001252493298/posts/
The existing Chester Bridge has two 11-foot lanes and carries 7,000 vehicles per day. It was originally constructed in 1942 and was re-constructed in 1944 after a severe storm destroyed the main span. The bridge has allowed motorists to travel both east and west across the Mississippi River for 80 years.
Over the course of eight decades, the Chester Bridge has become less functional for modern vehicles. Although the bridge is safe for travel, this aging structure is considered to be in poor condition. MoDOT is continuing to monitor the bridge. The last inspection occurred in fall 2021.
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved an amendment to the FY2022-2026 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to fund the Chester Bridge Replacement Project (J9P3857) during its meeting on Sept. 9, 2021. In addition, the MHTC approved the Southeast District’s proposal to complete the Chester Bridge Replacement Project using the design-build project delivery method. The design-build method will allow industry input on both the design and construction of this work.
The Don Welge Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River will be wider and taller, allowing for more vehicles and helping to prevent floods. The cable-stayed bridge will be somewhat similar to the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau, but will have three shorter towers, instead of two taller ones.
Completion of the new bridge is anticipated by the end of 2026 and includes funding from both Illinois and Missouri.
