The night the bridge fell down--may be the title of the film that might be shot on the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The vacant bridge is located just south of the present bridge of Interstate 270 from Missouri to Illinois.
Traffic is heavy on the bridge since the bridge has become toll free. A recent photo, above, shows heavy traffic on old Chain of Rocks bridge when it was toll-free but before the new Chain of Rocks bridge opened.
Huge girder for new Chain of Rocks bridge is lifted into place as work on the central span gets underway. There will be 32 of the girders manufactured by the Mississippi Valley Structural Steel Company, each 243 feet long, 10 feet high and weighing 162 tons. The bridge will carry Interstate Highway 270 across the Mississippi River near the old Chain of Rocks bridge.
The Golden Goose of Madison, Ill., has laid an egg and may become a dead duck. Translated, that means the twisting, venerable Chain of Rocks Bridge is up for grabs--in fact it may be given away. Ownership of the bridge "is a detriment to the city at this time," the mayor said.
The new toll-free chain of rocks bridge (foreground) will cut deeply into revenues realized by Madison, Ill., from the present span (background), which is only 1800 feet upstream.
This photo, above, was taken Tuesday, showing the traffic situation on the old Chain of Rocks bridge now that the new Chain of Rocks bridge has opened.
