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 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.
Work resumed on the new Chain of Rocks bridge Monday, after a five-month delay. Work was halted Nov. 22 because of bad weather and alleged unreasonable construction costs. The Ruckman and Hansen Construction Company of Fort Wayne, Ind., has been paying a $250 daily penalty since Nov. 20 for delays in construction.
The railings along the eastbound lanes of the new Chain of Rocks Bridge (Interstate 270), which spans the Mississippi River in North St. Louis County, were due to be completed last November. The bridge can not be used until the work is finished, forcing motorists to use the narrow, two-lane bridge south of the new span.
The new Chain of Rocks bridge may be opened to traffic in "installments" with the two westbound lanes opened before the end of the year. This picture shows the concerete deck portion of the bridge with the westbound lanes nearing completion.
Ribbon cutters at ceremonies marking opening of new Chain of Rocks Bridge Friday. From left, are James A. Kearns Jr. of the Missouri State Highway Commission, Aloys P. Kaufmann, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Robert E. Kronst, district engineer of Illinois Division of Highways.
