New I-270 bridge over the Mississippi opens next week, ending years of repairs

A new westbound span of Interstate 270 will open to traffic on November 16, connecting North St. Louis County to the Metro East. The new bridge is one of two structures that will carry two lanes of traffic in opposite directions across the Mississippi River.

Illinois and Missouri transportation officials celebrated the impending completion of the project on Monday. This third iteration of the Chain of Rocks Bridge replaces a span built in 1966. The Illinois Department of Transportation stated that the older bridge has undergone numerous repairs and is now sub-standard due to wear and tear.

The construction is part of Rebuild Illinois, a program costing $531.6 million to update the state's freight corridor. Officials noted that daily traffic at this specific site has more than doubled since the original bridge was constructed in 1966. The new infrastructure is designed to handle this increased volume.

Gia Biagi, the Illinois Transportation Secretary, commented on the collaborative effort between the two states. She said the partnership positions the region as a freight hub capable of supporting good-paying jobs well into the future.

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which opened as a toll bridge in 1929, remains open to foot traffic. It closed to cars after the 1966 bridge was built. Both the new eastbound and westbound spans are expected to have three lanes open by next summer to accommodate a lane expansion on I-270.

In the interim, the new bridges will undergo median work, receive new guardrails, and get a fresh coat of paint. The November 16 opening marks the final step in a long process of updating this critical interstate crossing.