Industrial History: 1931 IL-16 Joe Page Bridge over Illinois River at Hardin, IL

(Bridge Hunter, includes construction photos; Historic Bridges; John Weeks III; Satellite)

Built in 1931 and rebuilt in 2004.

It is rare in Illinois for a lift bridge to carry a road instead of a railroad. According to John Weeks, the daily traffic count in 2005 was 2,800. Even though that is low, that is high enough that the lift span would normally be down. This is the southern most bridge on the Illinois River. I scanned the river downstream from this bride and I did not see any docking facilities. Thus all of the barge traffic of the Illinois Waterway would pass under this bridge. So this lift span probably sees the most lifts in the state.

Street View

"Many sources state that this is the longest bridge [2,150'] in Illinois, and the lift span of 308 foot 9 inches is the longest lift span in the world. While there may be some category of bridge where it is (or was) the longest in the world, both the Arthur Kill and Cape Cod Canal bridges have longer lift spans at 558 feet and 544 feet long, respectively....One of the challenging parts of the construction was replacing the lift cables and pulleys. This required that the bridge remain in the down position for 23 days in August and September of 2003. Barge traffic continued to flow by using tow boats to hand barges off under the lowered lift span of the bridge." [JohnWeeks]

Lisa Ruble posted

Looking west toward Hardin in Calhoun County

Joe Page Bridge 1940

Illinois River

Mickie Lynn posted four images with the comment: "Very unique bridge to cross in rural Illinois."

John Albert Christeson Jr.: There is a 2nd lift bridge further up the river at Florence Il.

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[Cape Cod, Arthur Kill]

Lisa Ruble posted five images with the comment:

JOE PAGE BRIDGE
Joe Page Bridge that crosses the Illinois River at Hardin (Calhoun County, Illinois) to Greene County Illinois was dedicated on July 23rd 1931. The bridge is named in honor of Joseph M. Page (1845-1938), veteran Jerseyville (Jersey County Illinois) editor, a member of the advisory board of the state department of highways, who labored untiringly for the bridge. Construction of the bridge began on May 19, 1930, the same day the Florence Bridge was dedicated.

Robert Patterson posted

Kathy Martin posted, cropped
Joe Page bridge in Hardin Illinois

David Webster posted
Darin Hawkins: Hardin, ILLINOIS

John Albert Christeson Jr. posted four photos with the comment: "Joe Page lift bridge over the Illinois River @ Hardin Il."

Jonathan Konopka posted
Joe Page Bridge (vertical lift) - Hardin, IL. Built in 1931. Photo is courtesy of HistoricBridges.org.

Maranda Marie posted
Joe Page Bridge in Hardin IL. Beautiful at night

In terms of it being the longest bridge, I had noticed that there are some spans over trees on the east side. This is another example of the importance of bridging the flood plain as well as the channel. (This tow shows how a tanker barge is larger than a normal barge.)

Satellite

1 of 2 photos posted by Mary Osborne
Andrew Cannava South bound Hardin Illinois lift bridge. Safe journey. Looking good.

John Albert Christeson Jr. posted
Joe Page Bridge across the Illinois River @ Hardin Illinois on Illinois Route 16/100

John Reed posted
The motor vessel Kenny Eads at the Joe Page bridge.
Douglas Butler shared
John Reed: Joe Page Strauss Vertical Lift Bridge Hardin, IL.

David Webster posted
Chris Wood: Hardin

Don Turner posted four photos with the comment:

The idot.illinois.gov⁠ officially began a major $22 million emergency rehabilitation project on the historic Joe Page Bridge in Hardin on May 18, 2026. The project is intended to keep the aging vertical-lift bridge operational while state officials finalize plans for a complete long-term replacement. Built in 1931, the bridge is considered structurally deficient and has become increasingly vulnerable to mechanical and structural failures, making immediate intervention necessary to maintain a reliable crossing between Calhoun and Greene counties.
The start of construction has already created major traffic changes for motorists traveling along Illinois Routes 16 and 100. Temporary automated traffic signals are now controlling alternating one-way traffic across the bridge’s single open lane after the initial use of manual flaggers ended. IDOT has warned drivers to expect severe delays during peak commuting hours and has emphasized strict enforcement of work-zone safety rules, including reduced speeds and bans on mobile device usage in the construction zone.
According to project officials, the rehabilitation effort is designed as a “lifeline” repair package to extend the bridge’s usable service life until a replacement can be built. Crews will perform extensive structural steel reinforcements, bridge deck overlays, trunnion stabilization, and upgrades to the lift-span’s aging mechanical systems. Construction is expected to continue through June 30, 2027, with work taking place in multiple stages to preserve at least limited traffic access during the repairs.
The emergency rehabilitation project also serves as a transitional step toward a much larger infrastructure investment planned by the state. IDOT has already allocated approximately $245 million in its multi-year highway improvement program for a complete replacement of the Joe Page Bridge. State transportation planners say the current structure is approaching the end of its practical service life despite repeated maintenance and repair efforts over the decades.
Planning for the replacement bridge is actively underway through ongoing engineering design and environmental review studies. IDOT anticipates future phases will include land acquisition, utility relocation, and eventual full-scale construction possibly beginning as early as fiscal year 2027. Officials say the long-term replacement project is intended to provide a safer, more modern, and more reliable River crossing for the region while preserving critical transportation access for residents, businesses, agriculture, and emergency services throughout western Illinois.