Mississippi River I-74 Bridge Opens To Westbound Traffic

The new bridge carrying Interstate 74 over the Mississippi River between Moline, Ill., and Bettendorf, Iowa, opened four westbound lanes of traffic November 13. Construction began on the $1.2 billion project in 2017 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, according to the Illinois and Iowa departments of transportation. Officials expect drivers to be able to drive on the eastbound lanes by the end of 2021.

The bridge project is part of a broader expansion of I-74. The new I-74 bridge is 72 feet wide, versus 30 feet wide for the old bridge, which opened in 1935. The old bridge will remain in use for local traffic until the new I-74 bridge is open in both directions, when it will be demolished.

George Ryan, I-74 Bridge corridor manager, told local media that the new I-74 will be much safer, with more room for growing traffic.