(Update: RoadTraffic-Technology article "The bridge currently carries an average of more than 74,000 vehicles a day, which is expected to increase to approximately 99,900 vehicles a day by 2035.")
The $1.2 billion dollar project not only includes the new bridge, it includes a lot of road work on both sides of the river. Quite a few buildings were torn down, including a depot, in Bettendorf, IA for a new road alignment. A bed containing about 450,000 mussels had to be moved before the piers could be built.
I'm using Bing instead of Google because Google is not showing any activity yet.
This crane photo is what let me know that construction had started on the replacement bridge and that it was time to reasearch the new bridge again.
Before they built the dam a couple of miles downstream from here, this stretch of the river must have been a rapids. That means the river scoured the bottom down to bedrock. So they are buildings piers keyed into the bedrock that can withstand the lateral forces of a true arch. Since it is a true arch rather than a tied arch, they don't have the option of building the arch near a shore and floating it into place like they did, for example, the Eggner Ferry Bridge. To keep the navigation channel open, they are using back stays to build the arches with 35' to 65' steel segments.
The "Y" part of the piers looked like they could be precast "trophies" similar to the ones used for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. But these photos shows they built the piers in place.
Mike Ironman posted two photos that indicate funding must have been secured. Given the budget mess that Illinois had for a couple of years, this is interesting news.
I-74 River Bridge posted nine photos with the comment:
John Schilberg Amazing design and build project. The scale is incredible.
Stan Indyk Not an easy piece to set for sure...
I-74 River Bridge posted (source)
I-74 River Bridge posted fifteen photos with the comment: "More photos of the arch being erected on the westbound piers as well as some of the awesome people who made it happen!"
Five photos posted by Jan Danielsen with the comment: "Cleva Lee --pool 15 --I-74 bridge work Bettendorf, Iowa--Moline, Illinois."
Jan Danielsen posted seven photos of the construction.
Three of the photos posted by Jan Danielson
Sue Smabdman posted ten photos with the comment: "74 Bridge construction."
Raw Images Art & Photography posted sixteen photos with the comment: "Kuddos to my husband for driving me across the I-74 Bridge so I could get some photos of the new I-74 River Bridge. They continue to make progress with all of the flooding in the area."
Ben Stalvey shared
Dustin Williams have a mlc 300 and an mlc 650 on site . As well as 2 2250s
Raw Images Art & Photography posted
I-74 River Bridge posted 12 photos with the comment: "Fresh photos from the construction sites!"
Ben Stalvey shared more photos of the installation of the third segment and more pier work. I wonder if the black thing near the top of the third segment is where they are going to attach cables from the falsework. Hopefully, we will soon see.
I-74 River Bridge posted thirteen photos.
Raw Images Art & Photography posted 15 photos with the comment:
Raw Images Art & Photography posted ten photos with the comment:
I've noticed that the arch seems to be stuck at just three segments. I haven't seen anything about why the arch construction seems to be stuck.
Dustin Soerens posted six photos with the comment: "MLC650, MLC300, and two 2250s on the I-74 Bridge Project."
Ben Stalvey shared an Oct 28, 2019, album of 16 progress photos. Ben confirmed the crane is a MLC 650 and it appears it is on a barge for the arch segment lifts.
Michael Lowing and Josh Morre provided three photos as commented on Ben's share of using two GMK 7550s to transload the segments to barges in East Chicago. (That probably means they were imported.)
I was thinking just this week it has been a while since I saw how far the arches have progressed.
Raw Images Art & Photography posted fourteen photos with the comment:
Raw Images Art & Photography Bob Nolen where are you getting your info?
Bob Nolen Raw Images Art & Photography It was on the local news. The contractor is deliberately dragging their feet trying to get more $ from IA.
Bob Nolen Raw Images Art & Photography Also construction workers were sworn to secrecy about what is going on, and after they go to another job they were opening up about how the contractor would have them busy building frames etc. Then when they were all done they cut them up and scrapped them. Don't you watch the local news?
April 5, 2020: I-74 River Bridge posted seven photos with the comment: "We successfully installed another arch segment today. Three more to go before we install the keystone."
James McAdam When you see the arches suspended above the river. Does it sway at all? You can only imagine they may sway a a tiny bit even though they are secured at the base and with support cables.
I-74 River Bridge Hi James McAdam , see the mouse trap-looking device in the second photo? That is a tuned mass damper, which helps suppress the vibrations and movement due to wind! The device will be removed when the bridge is complete because the structure itself will dissipate the force of the vibrations towards the piers/foundations in the river.
Brad Knutson What’s the timeline for the final three? Are they here and ready to be installed or will it be months between the final segments!
I-74 River Bridge Brad Knutson The next 3 segments are on site and anticipated to be installed over the next couple weeks. Then it will be several weeks before we can install the keystone (the middle segments that close each arch) because we will be working on assembling the pieces and conducting multiple surveys to ensure the correct fit up before installation. We’re working as quickly as possible to close the westbound arch in spring.
Jeff Hinke Not to get too far ahead, but when the west-bound keystones are in place and the non-permanent stays and crossbars are removed, will work start soonest on the east-bound arches, or does the west-bound have to be further along/finished (roadway etc) before that happens?
I-74 River Bridge Hi Jeff Hinke , we won’t be able to start the eastbound arch until we no longer need certain equipment (like the 650 ton crane) for westbound. We’ll have more info on the timeframe later this year.
Jay Von Holten Very interesting watching the progress. Are the segments welded together or are they bolted together?
I-74 River Bridge Jay Von Holten bolted
James Rabchuk No more guide wires? I thought there were going to be cables installed at three different elevations.
Mike Chiavario James Rabchuk originally the design called for 3 tie back cables but contractors design only called for 2 per arch.
James Rabchuk Mike Chiavario ok that makes sense. I was wondering what good that third set was going to do at that angle. Thanks!
James Rabchuk it’s been a year and a half since I saw George Ryan’s presentation on the construction, and his slides showed three sets per arch. He also clearly underestimated how long it would take to get those cables properly installed!
Alan Asay It is amazing that work continues on the unconstructable bridge.
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay that statement means for the bid price. Not actually unconstructable.
Alan Asay Steven LeMaster yet the contractor is still cashing the checks, delaying work and asking for more money. What a joke!
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay it is but normal practice from what some have explained I agree I do have a little inside information.
Alan Asay Steven LeMaster so black mail is normal business? The contractor should be fired and jailed for extortion.
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay LOL good luck no one disagrees.
[And then the dialogue gets nasty.]
Jeremy Tatman Yay! Only 1 year behind!
Ben Stalvey shared
Checkout all that bright red Manitowoc power. The way it should be.
Mike Ironman posted three photos with the comment: "4/13/20: A Manitowoc Crane is Among Many others, As The New I-74 Bridge Work ( Between Bettendorf, Iowa & Moline, Illinois) Takes Place next to The Original Bridge. Cranes, Steel Beams, & Earth moving Equipment have been Things along with Trains I am intrigued by."
I-74 River Bridge posted three photos with the comment:
I-74 River Bridge Up to about 250,000 lbs.
Jim Cox I-74 River Bridge how much for those big deck sections in East Moline?
I-74 River Bridge Jim Cox it varies but up to about 300 tons.
[Some comments and photos about the USACE Quad Cities ringer on a barge.]
Levi Ludwigson Jamie Shields so with 341 feet of boom this crane is capable of picking 650 ton?
Jamie Shields Levi Ludwigson lol nope. Not even close. Max pick is 460k (230 Ton) in this configuration I think.
Levi Ludwigson Jamie Shields that's why I'm question the post. It's written like a CNN reporter wrote it.
[Levi posted charts, first a wrong one and then a correct one.]
Adam Ellis From what I read about it, it's 650 metric ton, which converts to about 716 us tons. Freaking monster!
Thomas Lee How much did this crane cost?
Andy VanHoe Thomas Lee $87 [I assume that is millions.]
I-74 River Bridge Jay Lambrecht There is enough room for the arch segments but we’ll use a different process for the floor. Our plan is to use a combination of jacking systems and cranes to lift the floor modules for the Illinois-bound bridge.
Dale Lallier I was surprised to see how the floor went in, I thought you would put one section on one side and then go put a section on the other side and meet in the middle to distribute the weight somewhat evenly to the arch. Glad to see good progress though.
Jeff Cozad I saw that being installed this morning. I’m curious about the order these are being installed. I’d assumed that the section that is yet to be installed would have been the 4th one. Any particular reason?
I-74 River Bridge Hi Jeff Cozad there is a lot of coordination that takes place for installing the floor modules. The sequencing the contractor used is more efficient in terms of access, alignment and timing of navigation channel closures.
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Drone video of the construction They have some piers done on one side and are still working on the caissons for the other side.
Ben Stalvey shared a drone flyby. He is back to the bridge at 3:15 with some parked cranes in the upper-right corner.
Construction photos: Apr 16, Apr 22
May 7, 2021, Video celebrating the closing of the second arch and pouring of the last section of the concrete pavement in Moline.
I didn't realize that the suspended spans were about only half of the bridge until I saw the following photo and looked at this satellite image.
The arch was fabricated by Industrial Steel Construction.
The $1.2 billion dollar project not only includes the new bridge, it includes a lot of road work on both sides of the river. Quite a few buildings were torn down, including a depot, in Bettendorf, IA for a new road alignment. A bed containing about 450,000 mussels had to be moved before the piers could be built.
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| Screenshot from Presentation on Materials |
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This crane photo is what let me know that construction had started on the replacement bridge and that it was time to reasearch the new bridge again.
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| Matt Saddoris commented on a posting, cropped Ben Stalvey Micheles MLC 300? Matt Saddoris Maxim Moline, Illinois |
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| Map from Materials |
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| ShoolPresentation from Materials, p15 |
Beginning this fall or early winter [2018], crews will begin lifting the 35- to 65-foot steel segments into place. Currently, the steel segments are being fabricated at a plant in Gary, Ind., after which they will be trucked to the Quad-Cities, said Danielle Alvarez, the I-74 project manager with the Iowa Department of Transportation....Cable stays will be used to hold the segments into place, while the rest of the segments are raised and fitted together. There will actually be two arches in each direction on the new bridge, angling inward to form a pair of basket handles....Alvarez said the tied-arch design at Talbot Memorial Bridge (Centennial) between Davenport and Rock Island is more of typical of Mississippi River crossings, but the relatively shallow water depth and rock elevations under I-74 allowed for the new bridge to be a true-arch design. The cost of the steel fabrication, as well as putting the segments into place, is $17 million for both spans, according to the Iowa DOT. [ArchIsNextStep]I have not been able to find construction photos of the arch construction.
The "Y" part of the piers looked like they could be precast "trophies" similar to the ones used for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. But these photos shows they built the piers in place.
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| ShoolPresentation from Materials, p22 |
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| ShoolPresentation from Materials, p22 |
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| Roads & Bridges |
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| Brad Gareston posted Who says 650’s can’t float? Lynn Johnson My friend in Galveston Texas built this barge. Heck of a setup! [A comment indicates there are 20 booms in the air on this project.] |
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| Brad commented on his posting New bridge in the Quad City area. I’ll ask for me- said they moved her in from NJ. |
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| 1 [Note all of the cranes in the background on the other side of the river.] |
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On a sunny Saturday morning, the first arch segment was successfully placed on the pier! Held up by a crane, the first arch segment, about 250,000 lbs of steel, was slowly lowered down to the top of the arch pier. Steel rods embedded in the pier were covered in PVC pipe to provide a guide as the iron workers lined them up with the arch segment. At times, the workers would need to make adjustments manually. It takes an incredible amount of patience and skill and we've got the best guys on the job.Ben Stalvey shared with the comment: "MLC 300 and MLC 650 hard at work on I-74 what some impressive lifts wow"
John Schilberg Amazing design and build project. The scale is incredible.
Stan Indyk Not an easy piece to set for sure...
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| 1 Jake Swartz It’s obvious they have to be under there to guide peice , or they wouldn’t be there. |
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I-74 River Bridge posted (source)
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| 1 Ben Stalvey MLC 650, MLC 300 and 2250 |
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| 3 Matt Van Zante Who is the formwork supplier? |
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| 4 Debra Glenn Jones Sad. I'm going to miss the old bridge. |
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| 5 Roger Pigg So what if the darn thing is NOT level? Is there an adjusting screw? The supervisor watching is biting his glove in anticipation. |
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| 12 Kristopher Oswald Wonder if they got out the guy inside.... ha!I-74 River Bridge Kristopher Oswaldnope. The inside of the arch is pretty roomy so we think he'll be fine. |
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Jan Danielsen posted seven photos of the construction.
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Three of the photos posted by Jan Danielson
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| Raw Images Art & Photography updated |
Ben Stalvey shared
Dustin Williams have a mlc 300 and an mlc 650 on site . As well as 2 2250s
Raw Images Art & Photography posted
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I-74 River Bridge posted 12 photos with the comment: "Fresh photos from the construction sites!"
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| 1 Pouring concrete for the eastbound pier footing on the Illinois side of the river |
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| 2 Pouring concrete for the eastbound pier footing on the Illinois side of the river |
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| 3 Delivering concrete for the eastbound pier footing on the Illinois side of the river |
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| 4 Pouring concrete for a retaining wall for the new I-74 ramp in Moline (near 7th Ave) |
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| 5 Compacting aggregate columns to stabilize the ground for an abutment wall in Moline (near 7th Ave) |
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| 6 Load testing the aggregate columns to support the abutment wall in Moline |
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| 7 Reconstructing westbound I-74 in Moline |
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| 8 Constructing foundations along 19th Street in Moline |
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| 9 Driving pile near 19th Street in Moline |
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| 10 Excavating near 19th Street in Moline |
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| 11 Constructing foundations along 19th St in Moline |
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| 12 Newly constructed westbound I-74 lanes just prior to opening them to traffic in Bettendorf |
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| One of 24 photos posted by I-74 River Bridge of the installation of the third arch segment on the Iowa side. (source) Stephanie Pynckel Redecker How many bolts to hold this one in place? I-74 River Bridge Stephanie Pynckel Redecker around 1,300. [MLC650 with a 341' boom that can lift 771 tons.] |
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| One of 31 more photos shared by Ben Stalvey. The first two by Raw Images Art & Photography are a couple from a year ago so that you can see the progress that has been made. |
I-74 River Bridge posted thirteen photos.
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| 1 Placing steel girders on the piers near the Illinois shoreline |
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| 2 Pumping water out of the tub forms, where workers are constructing the bridge foundations. |
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| 3 The Iowa-bound bridge construction is on the right and the Illinois-bound bridge construction is on the left. |
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| 4 Crews are constructing the foundations for the Illinois-bound bridge arch. |
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| 5 Bridge construction looking towards Illinois. |
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| 6 Constructing the new I-74 bridge (looking towards Iowa). |
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| 7 Constructing the Iowa-bound and Illinois-bound bridge deck in Moline (looking south). |
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| 8 Tying rebar to form the new ramp near 7th Avenue in Moline. |
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| 9 Expanding the Iowa-bound I-74 roadway to three lanes and reconstructing overpasses in Moline (looking north). |
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| 10 Expanding the Iowa-bound I-74 roadway to three lanes and reconstructing overpasses in Moline (looking south). |
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| 11 Expanding the Iowa-bound I-74 roadway to three lanes in Bettendorf (looking north). |
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| 12 Preparing the slope wall at Mississippi Boulevard for a concrete pour (Bettendorf) |
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| 13 Preparing the slope wall at Mississippi Boulevard for a concrete pour (Bettendorf) |
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| Ben Stalvey shared Raw Images Art & Photography photo What a shot of the MLC 300 |
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| Ben Mueller Sr. commented on Ben's post |
It's been a little bit since I have posted on the new I-74 River Bridge construction (between Moline IL and Bettendorf IA). I left for a week and those Iron Workers have gotten so much done. It is sometimes hard to tell as people watch the arches, but if you have been following the process in putting up the pillars and such, they are making so much progress. Got to see many of them as they were getting off work tonight. They are always so friendly. Great job guys!!!
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| Kelli Emerson comment on a Aug 30 video |
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| One of 17 photos in the Sep 16, 2019 album |
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| One of 24 photos in the Sep 23, 2019 album |
Raw Images Art & Photography posted ten photos with the comment:
My wonderful husband drove me back over the I-74 bridge so I could take some more shots out the window from on top of the current bridge. Although there isn't another section of the arch on yet, things are moving pretty quickly everywhere else. Shout out to the guys dangling in the cage and those on top of the piers.
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I've noticed that the arch seems to be stuck at just three segments. I haven't seen anything about why the arch construction seems to be stuck.
Dustin Soerens posted six photos with the comment: "MLC650, MLC300, and two 2250s on the I-74 Bridge Project."
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Michael Lowing and Josh Morre provided three photos as commented on Ben's share of using two GMK 7550s to transload the segments to barges in East Chicago. (That probably means they were imported.)
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I was thinking just this week it has been a while since I saw how far the arches have progressed.
Raw Images Art & Photography posted fourteen photos with the comment:
More photos of the I-74 River Bridge between Moline IL and Bettendorf IA. The first are taken from the shore and the few at the end are taken from the old bridge. Looks like they are working on the decks to connect the shores to the base of the arches. Once the top of the arches are installed then the laying of the deck should go pretty quick. Meanwhile - just trying to be patient and enjoy the process. It's not everyday we get to witness history in the making.Bob Nolen It will be 2030 before the IA bound traffic side is complete. Get a new contractor.
Raw Images Art & Photography Bob Nolen where are you getting your info?
Bob Nolen Raw Images Art & Photography It was on the local news. The contractor is deliberately dragging their feet trying to get more $ from IA.
Bob Nolen Raw Images Art & Photography Also construction workers were sworn to secrecy about what is going on, and after they go to another job they were opening up about how the contractor would have them busy building frames etc. Then when they were all done they cut them up and scrapped them. Don't you watch the local news?
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| Raw Images Art & Photography updated |
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| Chris Ridenour commented on a post There's a 300 we are on the 650 barge. |
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| Ryan Drew posted I-74 Bridge Quad Cities USA |
April 5, 2020: I-74 River Bridge posted seven photos with the comment: "We successfully installed another arch segment today. Three more to go before we install the keystone."
James McAdam When you see the arches suspended above the river. Does it sway at all? You can only imagine they may sway a a tiny bit even though they are secured at the base and with support cables.
I-74 River Bridge Hi James McAdam , see the mouse trap-looking device in the second photo? That is a tuned mass damper, which helps suppress the vibrations and movement due to wind! The device will be removed when the bridge is complete because the structure itself will dissipate the force of the vibrations towards the piers/foundations in the river.
Brad Knutson What’s the timeline for the final three? Are they here and ready to be installed or will it be months between the final segments!
I-74 River Bridge Brad Knutson The next 3 segments are on site and anticipated to be installed over the next couple weeks. Then it will be several weeks before we can install the keystone (the middle segments that close each arch) because we will be working on assembling the pieces and conducting multiple surveys to ensure the correct fit up before installation. We’re working as quickly as possible to close the westbound arch in spring.
Jeff Hinke Not to get too far ahead, but when the west-bound keystones are in place and the non-permanent stays and crossbars are removed, will work start soonest on the east-bound arches, or does the west-bound have to be further along/finished (roadway etc) before that happens?
I-74 River Bridge Hi Jeff Hinke , we won’t be able to start the eastbound arch until we no longer need certain equipment (like the 650 ton crane) for westbound. We’ll have more info on the timeframe later this year.
Jay Von Holten Very interesting watching the progress. Are the segments welded together or are they bolted together?
I-74 River Bridge Jay Von Holten bolted
James Rabchuk No more guide wires? I thought there were going to be cables installed at three different elevations.
Mike Chiavario James Rabchuk originally the design called for 3 tie back cables but contractors design only called for 2 per arch.
James Rabchuk Mike Chiavario ok that makes sense. I was wondering what good that third set was going to do at that angle. Thanks!
James Rabchuk it’s been a year and a half since I saw George Ryan’s presentation on the construction, and his slides showed three sets per arch. He also clearly underestimated how long it would take to get those cables properly installed!
Alan Asay It is amazing that work continues on the unconstructable bridge.
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay that statement means for the bid price. Not actually unconstructable.
Alan Asay Steven LeMaster yet the contractor is still cashing the checks, delaying work and asking for more money. What a joke!
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay it is but normal practice from what some have explained I agree I do have a little inside information.
Alan Asay Steven LeMaster so black mail is normal business? The contractor should be fired and jailed for extortion.
Steven LeMaster Alan Asay LOL good luck no one disagrees.
[And then the dialogue gets nasty.]
Jeremy Tatman Yay! Only 1 year behind!
Ben Stalvey shared
Checkout all that bright red Manitowoc power. The way it should be.
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Mike Ironman posted three photos with the comment: "4/13/20: A Manitowoc Crane is Among Many others, As The New I-74 Bridge Work ( Between Bettendorf, Iowa & Moline, Illinois) Takes Place next to The Original Bridge. Cranes, Steel Beams, & Earth moving Equipment have been Things along with Trains I am intrigued by."
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Here's a view of our crane operator's "office." With a 341 ft boom and the ability to lift 650 tons (~ equivalent of 3 train locomotives), this massive Manitowoc crane is used to pick up each arch segment and guide it to the top of the arch. It takes careful planning and patience to lift and guide these segments correctly and safely to the arch. Ironworkers at the top of the arch and on the barge provide guidance to ensure the segment fits between the splice plates.Aaron Casas How much does each arch segment weigh?
I-74 River Bridge Up to about 250,000 lbs.
Jim Cox I-74 River Bridge how much for those big deck sections in East Moline?
I-74 River Bridge Jim Cox it varies but up to about 300 tons.
[Some comments and photos about the USACE Quad Cities ringer on a barge.]
Levi Ludwigson Jamie Shields so with 341 feet of boom this crane is capable of picking 650 ton?
Jamie Shields Levi Ludwigson lol nope. Not even close. Max pick is 460k (230 Ton) in this configuration I think.
Levi Ludwigson Jamie Shields that's why I'm question the post. It's written like a CNN reporter wrote it.
[Levi posted charts, first a wrong one and then a correct one.]
Adam Ellis From what I read about it, it's 650 metric ton, which converts to about 716 us tons. Freaking monster!
Thomas Lee How much did this crane cost?
Andy VanHoe Thomas Lee $87 [I assume that is millions.]
Ben Stalvey shared
I-74 river Bridge posted nine photos with the comment: "Today we installed the 28th arch segment! The remaining two segments will be connected by struts (crossbeams) and installed as one “keystone” piece to complete the Iowa-bound arch. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be working on assembling the keystone, preparing the arch, and conducting multiple surveys to ensure the correct fit before we lift and install the keystone."
I-74 River Bridge TWe are replacing the interstate I-74 bridges between Moline, Illinois and Bettendorf, Iowa. Check out our website for more info at www.i74riverbridge.com.
James Rabchuk When did you guys take down the lower set of tie back cables?
I-74 River Bridge James Rabchuk a couple weeks ago.
Raw Images Art & Photography posted 17 photos with the arch done except for the keystone.
Raw Images Art & Photography posted 16 photos with the comment: "Here is a little eye candy for all you crane aficionados. Found the ironworkers out today working on the keystone piece. Winds were brutal. Huge shout out to these guys working on the I-74 River Bridge. Making progress....."
Two photos from an album of 16 photos of the keystone installation.
I-74 River Bridge posted four photos that Ben Stalvey shared.
I-74 river Bridge posted three photos with the comment: "The keystone is fit snug between the arches. Working around the clock, ironworkers are securing the keystone with over 4,000 bolts! Here’s a look at some of the work at the top of the arch"
Tammy Mutka posted eight photos with the comment: "A little eye candy from the I-74 River Bridge project in Bettendorf Iowa. The first one is from 9 pm last night and the others were taken at dawn this morning. [May 7, 2020]"
Mike Ironman posted two photos with the comment: "6/21/20: Both I-74 Bridges on The Banks of The Mississippi River at Bettendorf, Iowa. Looking Towards Moline, Illinois. After Railfanning Lloyd Mangler Crossing, decided to check out my other Obsession as Well."
I-74 River Bridge posted three photos with the comment: "We installed another floor module this morning. Only one more to go! We’ve also got the first sections of the Illinois-bound arch on site. The first arch segment is anticipated to be installed in the coming weeks."
Jay Lambrecht How much clearance has your team predicted to have between the crane and current bridge when setting the arch pieces for the East bound lanes? |
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| 3 Bryan Koskela check out those spuds. [I was wondering how they could keep the tip of the crane stable with such a long boom.] |
I-74 river Bridge posted nine photos with the comment: "Today we installed the 28th arch segment! The remaining two segments will be connected by struts (crossbeams) and installed as one “keystone” piece to complete the Iowa-bound arch. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be working on assembling the keystone, preparing the arch, and conducting multiple surveys to ensure the correct fit before we lift and install the keystone."
I-74 River Bridge TWe are replacing the interstate I-74 bridges between Moline, Illinois and Bettendorf, Iowa. Check out our website for more info at www.i74riverbridge.com.
James Rabchuk When did you guys take down the lower set of tie back cables?
I-74 River Bridge James Rabchuk a couple weeks ago.
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| One of twenty photos posted by Raw Images Art & Photography Making more progress on the I-74 River Bridge today. They installed a floor that will be up for the next several weeks until the keystone is installed and in place. The floor is 30x60 foot and weighs 20,000 lbs. It was put together on the Illinois side approximately 3 weeks ago and build by Brand Safway. It is held up by 8 cables and there are eight backup cables as well. I was told it was raised as one section up and put in place in less than an hour. This bridge just keeps getting more exciting the more we see how it is put together. Another huge shout out to the ironworkers. Pete Murray A question for the iron workers: what all is required to fasten that last section in between the spans? Gotta be hundreds (maybe thousands) of fasteners. It would be neat to see photos. Mike Valle Pete Murray thousands of bolts buddy. Ben Stalvey shared Tom Miller What is the purpose of the floor? Ben Stalvey Work Platform you mean? Tom Miller Ben Stalvey I guess that what it could be for. Benny Davis Osha [He meant OSHA. The work platform provides a safer environment for the ironworkers. It also allows more ironworkers to work on the thousands of bolts than worker baskets would allow. Several of the twenty photos show at least one of the three cranes was being used to hold a worker basket. The hourly rental of cranes probably soon pays for the platform. I assume they will use the platform again for the second arch.] |
Raw Images Art & Photography posted 16 photos with the comment: "Here is a little eye candy for all you crane aficionados. Found the ironworkers out today working on the keystone piece. Winds were brutal. Huge shout out to these guys working on the I-74 River Bridge. Making progress....."
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| 16 Dana L. Corman Wehrle Look at the white caps! Raw Images Art & Photography Dana L. Corman Wehrle the wind was brutal. The river has been raging since the flooding. It is dangerous out there and now the barges are out moving on the river too. |
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| One of 26 photos posted by Raw Images Art & Photography (source) |
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| One of two photos posted by Raw Images Art & Photography Ben Stalvey posted Ted Fortier What did they use for anchors on the backstays? |
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| Bill Strealy commented on Ted's comment on Ben's share |
I-74 River Bridge posted four photos that Ben Stalvey shared.
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| One of 39 photos of the keystone installation posted by Raw Images Art & Photography and shared by Ben Stalvey. [An MLC 650 was used to lift the keystone.] |
I-74 river Bridge posted three photos with the comment: "The keystone is fit snug between the arches. Working around the clock, ironworkers are securing the keystone with over 4,000 bolts! Here’s a look at some of the work at the top of the arch"
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Tammy Mutka posted eight photos with the comment: "A little eye candy from the I-74 River Bridge project in Bettendorf Iowa. The first one is from 9 pm last night and the others were taken at dawn this morning. [May 7, 2020]"
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Mike Ironman posted two photos with the comment: "6/21/20: Both I-74 Bridges on The Banks of The Mississippi River at Bettendorf, Iowa. Looking Towards Moline, Illinois. After Railfanning Lloyd Mangler Crossing, decided to check out my other Obsession as Well."
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| One of 36 photos shared by Ben Stalvey |
I-74 River Bridge posted three photos with the comment: "We installed another floor module this morning. Only one more to go! We’ve also got the first sections of the Illinois-bound arch on site. The first arch segment is anticipated to be installed in the coming weeks."
I-74 River Bridge Jay Lambrecht There is enough room for the arch segments but we’ll use a different process for the floor. Our plan is to use a combination of jacking systems and cranes to lift the floor modules for the Illinois-bound bridge.
Dale Lallier I was surprised to see how the floor went in, I thought you would put one section on one side and then go put a section on the other side and meet in the middle to distribute the weight somewhat evenly to the arch. Glad to see good progress though.
Jeff Cozad I saw that being installed this morning. I’m curious about the order these are being installed. I’d assumed that the section that is yet to be installed would have been the 4th one. Any particular reason?
I-74 River Bridge Hi Jeff Cozad there is a lot of coordination that takes place for installing the floor modules. The sequencing the contractor used is more efficient in terms of access, alignment and timing of navigation channel closures.
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| 2Add caption [I'm leaving the "Add caption" text in as a monument to to Google's new blogspot software being worse than their legacy software and their refusal to make small changes to make it as good as the old software. ("Add caption" was auto selected in the old version.)] |
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| 3Add caption [I'm leaving the "Add caption" text in as a monument to to Google's new blogspot software being worse than their legacy software and their refusal to make small changes to make it as good as the old software. ("Add caption" was auto selected in the old version.)] |
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| One of 25 photos posted by Raw Images Art & Photography Yesterday [July 13, 2020] the next segment of the bridge floor was installed between the arches on the New I-74 River Bridge. One more section and the bridge will be linked from Bettendorf IA to Moline IL. They have also reported that they will begin working on the second span's arches soon. Making Progress every day! Ben Stalvey shared |
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| Darian Foster Screenshot New I74 bridge at Davenport-Bettendorf, Ia. April 6th. The pilings are completely under water as of yesterday. The Mighty Mississippi just roaring by! |
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| Screenshot At 5:30, the talking head says that by the end of 2019 the westbound structure will be complete and open to traffic. But the photos that I have seen in 2020 don't even have the arch finished! |
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| RoadBridges Sep 4, 2018 Contractors are employing both coffer dams and coffer cells to set piers in the river. |
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| safe_image for RoadBridges Dec 31, 2018 Illinois-Iowa I-74 bridge will feature eight-story pedestrian elevator |
Drone video of the construction They have some piers done on one side and are still working on the caissons for the other side.
Ben Stalvey shared a drone flyby. He is back to the bridge at 3:15 with some parked cranes in the upper-right corner.
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| Sean Hill commented on Ben's share |
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| Sean Hill commented on Ben's share |
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| Luis Gregorio Lizando commented on Ben's share |
Construction photos: Apr 16, Apr 22
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| Poseidon Barge, LTD posted Lunda is using our Poseidon P10 Barges to float a large Manitowoc 18000 crane. (Yellow arrow points to Poseidon's Deck). Nearly a million and a half pounds on that deck is being used to build the I74 Bridge in Davenport, IA. |
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| Poseidon Barge, LTD posted Another great shot of the Poseidon P10's being used by Lunda at Davenport, Iowa. The red barges right under arch are the Poseidon's. Looks like they are in position to do some heavy lifting!! |
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| Jan Danielsen posted Bettendorf, Iowa Pool 15. |
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| Terry Happyman Wangler posted A cold but colorful morning starting out from Leach Park. |
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| John Korn posted, cropped From the Ben Butterworth Parkway, Moline |
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| RiverWorks Discovery posted The new I-74 bridge is being constructed across the Upper Mississippi River at Bettendorf, Iowa. Here Artco’s M/V AMERICAN BEAUTY starts her approach at night. The AMERICAN BEAUTY was originally owned by Rose Barge Line who named their boats after roses  ! And the AMERICAN BEAUTY is truly a beautiful rose  as well as a beautiful towboat. Courtesy of steersman Jonathan Ray Rodola. |
(new window) An alternative construction technique to cranes on barges that doesn't care about floods and ice flows.
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| Screenshot from a timelapse |
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| Mike Ironman posted |
The arch is closed and some of the falsework is removed.
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| Jan Danielsen posted on May 25, 2021 Karen Renee Hamm Pool 15 Bettendorf, Iowa. |
Google Maps currently shows both the old (left) and new routes across the river.
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| Road Map |
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| Satellite |
I didn't realize that the suspended spans were about only half of the bridge until I saw the following photo and looked at this satellite image.
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| Jan Danielsen posted Karen Renee Hamm, Gracie M and Lee Ann Ingram. I-74 bridge construction Pool 15 Bettendorf, Iowa --Moline, Illinois. Pictures taken from Bettendorf. |
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| I-74 River Bridge posted The skyline sure has changed now that the tower cranes and the big red Manitowoc 650 crane are gone! Here's a look at the crews removing the 650 crane earlier this week. [There are several more photos posted in the comments.] |
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| Jan Danielsen posted Karen Renee Hamm Bettendorf, Iowa Pool 15. |
The arch was fabricated by Industrial Steel Construction.
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| ISC [These are part of the arches for the I-74 Bridge over the Mississippi River. "Working with Lunda Construction, ISC is fabricating 20,000 tons of steel for west bound and east bound structures. Each bound consists of a basket handle arch with deck and approach plates girders. Each arch includes 30 arch rib boxes. Each approach has over 200 girders. Due to the size of the large component pieces on the arch, the fully assembled boxes are being shipped via barge." [ISC-I-74] 0:48 video] |
David Webster posted three photos:
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| Slater Photogrpahy posted The Mississippi River Bridge from Iowa to Illinois -Slater Photography/ Chaz Slater |
Then only the bases of the piers and towers are left.
2 of 3 photos posted by Jan Danielsen with the comment: "City of New Orleans. Pictures taken from Bettendorf, Iowa. 9-30-23."
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| b [I include this photo because it shows another big towboat with a retractable pilothouse.] Dennis DeBruler: I understand why little towboats in urban areas like Chicago where some of the swing bridges no longer move need a retractable pilothouse, but I don't understand why a big, three motor towboat needs one. |
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| Joel Wise commented on Jan's post [Only four liquid barges fit in a lock that holds nine bulk cargo barges.] |
On 12/1/21 they allowed people to walk on it before it is officially opened. [some photos of people walking] 20 photos of the bridges by Raw Images Art & Photography
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| We Work the Waterways posted Capt Mark Charles on Riverview Boat Store & Tug Service's M/V MRS P pushing one Ingram Barge Company empty and two assist vessels M/V's MIKE VOSS and the CITY OF BUFFALO southbound at I74, Bettendorf IA. Courtesy of Capt Mark Charles. Angel Binner shared |
John Weeks posted eight photos with the comment:
I took a birthday weekend trip down to the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois. One of my goals was to visit the new Iowa - Illinois Memorial Bridge (Interstate I-74) over the Mississippi River. The first two photos here are a before & after.The old bridges were a pair of magnificent pure suspension bridges, one from the 1930s and the other opened in 1959. While it pains me to see these old bridges demolished, they were functionally obsolete by the late 1970s and structurally obsolete by the late 1980s. They probably would have been replaced by then if it wasn’t for Illinois being in complete denial about its backlog of significant highway projects.The new bridges opened in 2020 (westbound), 2021 (eastbound), and 2022 (bike trail). While it probably would have cost quite a bit less to build something generic, this spot on the Mississippi River deserves something a little more graceful than a big ugly slab of concrete. Thankfully the highway planners agreed, and we ended up with a pair of basket handle arch bridges that are as handsome as they are functional.I first visited this area in the 1980s, but I was too broke back then to afford to be able to stay long enough to do any touring. In the 1990s, I found that there was very little river access due to all the industrial areas. In the 2000s, my health was compromised enough that I wasn’t able to leave the car and walk any distance. In the 2010s, I was able to explore the trail system that was rapidly being developed along both sides of the river. Now, in the 2020s, I am going to get a chance to run some of these trails tomorrow. It will be exciting to see what the 2030s bring for me.
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| 1 Before - the twin suspension bridges carrying I-74 across the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities. These bridges were demolished a few years ago. I took this photo about 20 years ago. |
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| 2 After - the new Iowa Illinois Memorial Bridge that carries I-74 over the Mississippi River. |
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| 3 The state line plaza in the middle of the bridge.That circular area is transparent so you can look down to the water. |
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| 4 Looking north towards Iowa. |
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| 5 Looking south towards Illinois. Note that white tower in the distance. |
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| 6 A closer view of that tower. This is the Kone Tower where the Kone elevator company did its R&D and testing. The facility closed down several years ago and they have been unable to find a new use for the facility. |
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| 7 One set of piers from the old bridge were saved on the Moline side of the river. |
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| 8 Another Mississippi River bridge that I saw on my walk today, the Arsenal Bridge. It is located just steps from the hotel I am staying at. It provides access over one channel of the Mississippi for traffic entering the Rock Island Arsenal, which is an Army facility. |
Lunda Construction Company posted eight photos with the comment:
Bridges make life better. That's all there is to it. Bridges connect people to the things they need and the people they love. Lunda has built a lot of award-winning bridges, and many of those bridges have received multiple honors. But the award we're celebrating this #FlashbackFriday is the Quality of Life/Community Development Award earned by the extraordinary I-74 Mississippi River Bridge in Bettendorf, Iowa, a project that transformed one of the Quad Cities' most important transportation corridors and received national recognition for its impact on the communities it serves.
Opened in 2021, the new crossing replaced aging infrastructure with a modern eight-lane bridge featuring a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path, scenic overlook, and architectural lighting. More than a transportation improvement, the project strengthened regional connectivity and enhanced the riverfront experience for residents and visitors alike.
Lunda constructed more than 1.25 miles of bridge structures, including the crossing's signature basket-handle steel arches, while navigating major river operations, commercial navigation traffic, flooding events, and accelerated schedule demands. Through close collaboration with project partners, critical milestones were achieved and the bridge opened ahead of schedule.
The project received the Quality of Life/Community Development Award through the America's Transportation Awards program (hosted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials alongside AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) recognizing transportation projects that improve safety, strengthen communities, and create lasting public value.
Engineering awards are always meaningful, but recognition for improving how people live, work, travel, and connect is especially rewarding.
Because at the end of the day, we're in the business of connecting.
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