Governor Quinn Announces Investment for I-74 Mississippi River Bridge in the Quad Cities

MOLINE - Governor Pat Quinn today announced a state investment of $10 million to continue construction on the new Interstate 74 Mississippi River bridge linking Illinois and Iowa in the Quad Cities. The investment from his Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program will fund a portion of the south corridor work on the Illinois side that is necessary to accommodate traffic entering and exiting the new bridge in Moline. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to create jobs and build a 21st century infrastructure that will drive Illinois' economy forward.

"The Mississippi River bridge project is one of the most vital transportation projects in the Midwest," Governor Quinn said. "This investment will keep the project moving forward to improve transportation in the region and create jobs for Quad Cities residents. I look forward to working with the General Assembly this spring to pass a new capital construction bill so we can continue to invest in key infrastructure and create a 21st century transportation system across Illinois."

The $10 million investment will help extend the road improvements leading motorists to and from the new I-74 bridge on the Illinois side. These south section improvements extend 0.8 miles south of the "Avenue of the Cities," and are the result of an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. The total estimated cost for the south corridor extension will be $20 million, with construction expected to start in 2018. The investment announced today will cover the additional engineering required for the project and provide a major portion of the construction funding.

The cost and construction of the $885 million, six-lane I-74 Mississippi River Bridge project is being shared by Illinois and Iowa, with Illinois committing $421 million through 2021. The project is expected to begin in the fall of 2017 and be completed in 2021. To date, Illinois has invested approximately $50 million on Phase One and Two engineering as well as land acquisition for the project. The new bridge will accommodate vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

The entire project will create more than 5,000 construction jobs through 2020.

"The opportunities created by this massive project will mean thousands of jobs for our local tradesmen and women as well as local contractors and suppliers," President of Tri City Building Trades Rory Washburn said. "The expansion and improvement of this major corridor will bring an economic benefit our community has never seen."

Ongoing work on the bridge project includes land acquisition and final engineering for the central and south sections as well as reconstruction of River Drive to accommodate the new interchange that will access the new bridge. The existing bridge will remain open to traffic and be maintained by both states until the new bridge is complete.

"I would like to thank Governor Quinn for his support of this project as I have been fighting for a new I-74 bridge for far too long," State Representative Pat Verschoore (D-Milan) said. "This vital transportation artery will not only provide great jobs while being built but it will ensure we continue to have the best transportation infrastructure in the entire country."

"This vital project is going to create 5,000 jobs for our area, which will be an incredible economic driver for our part of the state," State Representative Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale) said. "5,000 families will be able to put food on the table because of this project. Smart investments in infrastructure like the I-74 Bridge are a big part of why our region has the lowest unemployment rate in Illinois."

The existing Interstate 74 bridges carry 70,800 vehicles per day, and that traffic volume is expected to increase to more than 100,000 vehicles per day in the next 25 years. Both bridges are classified as functionally obsolete due to their length combined with their narrow decks and bridge roadway.

The I-74 bridge project is part of Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.