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Quincy Memorial Bridge

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Quincy Memorial Bridge
Coordinates39°55′53″N 91°25′14″W / 39.93139°N 91.42056°W / 39.93139; -91.42056
Carries2 lanes of eastbound US 24
CrossesMississippi River
LocaleWest Quincy, Missouri, and Quincy, Illinois
Other name(s)Memorial Bridge
Maintained byIllinois Department of Transportation
Characteristics
DesignTruss bridge
Total length3,510 feet (1,070 m)
Width27 feet (8 m)
Longest span627 feet (191 m)
Clearance below63 feet (19 m)
History
OpenedJune 13, 1930; 94 years ago (June 13, 1930)[1]
Location
Map

The Quincy Memorial Bridge is a truss bridge over the Mississippi River in Quincy, Illinois. It brings eastbound U.S. Highway 24 into the city of Quincy from Missouri. It was built in 1930, initially as a toll bridge,[2] and remains structurally sound.

Building of the bridge began in 1928 by the Kelly-Atkinson Company. It was completed in 1930, with the first car crossing the bridge on May 19 of that year on an official inspection trip. Although the original toll for the bridge was 50 cents, by 1945 the city had paid the outstanding bonds which financed the bridge's construction, and the fares were eliminated.[3]

In 1986, to serve additional traffic volumes crossing the Mississippi River into Quincy, the Illinois Department of Transportation constructed the Bayview Bridge just to the north of the Memorial Bridge. Westbound traffic was then routed onto the Bayview Bridge, while eastbound traffic was routed onto the Memorial Bridge.

Since 2012, demolition and replacement of the historic Memorial Bridge with a more modern one is being considered by the Illinois Department of Transportation to cope with increased traffic demands on the aging bridge.[4][5][6]

Future

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Detailed in the 2029 Rebuild Illinois Highway Improvement Program, Quincy is slated to receive $156 million to replace the outdated Memorial Bridge, along with other funds, and is set to be completed by 2029. No known construction date is set, and no contracts have been awarded.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Quincy Bridge Doing Very Nice Business". The Palmyra Spectator. Palmyra, Missouri. July 9, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved May 6, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Map of Missouri Showing State Road System, January 1, 1930
  3. ^ "How Memorial Bridge was built". www.hsqac.org. 2013-02-10. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  4. ^ "How Memorial Bridge was built". www.hsqac.org. 2013-02-10. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  5. ^ "Quincy Riverfront Master Plan". ArcGIS StoryMaps. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  6. ^ "Quincy Mem Bridge - CAG Meeting 2 Documents". www.quincymemorialbridge.com. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  7. ^ Campbell, Andrew (2023-07-08). "Quincy Memorial Bridge to be replaced during IDOT's Multi-Year Program". www.wgem.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.