Introduction
The Mississippi River Bridge project will create a new gateway between Illinois and Missouri that provides better connections to and through St. Louis. The project includes a landmark bridge structure, and the realignment and reconstruction of Interstate 70 and numerous local roads on both sides of the state line.
The project will provide needed traffic capacity, improve system linkages and community access, reduce traffic crashes, improve travel times, and enhance economic growth.
The project includes the following key components:
- Missouri North I-70 Interchange
- A roadway connection between the existing I-70 and the new bridge, with further connections to the local street system at Cass Avenue.
- Mississippi River Bridge
- A new 4-lane bridge one mile north of the Martin Luther King Bridge.
- Illinois I-70 Connection
- A roadway connection between the existing I-55/64/70 Tri-Level Interchange and the main span.
- Illinois Tri-Level Interchange
- Improvements at the I-55/64/70 Tri-Level Interchange in East St. Louis which will connect to the I-70 Connection leading to the main span.
Estimated Project Costs
The costs below include engineering, land acquisition, utility adjustments, environmental mitigation and construction costs, as well as inflation and contingencies. The inflation calculations are based on construction beginning as early as 2010 and lasting four to six years.
| Total Estimated Cost | $667 million |
| Component Description | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Missouri North I-70 Interchange | $57 Million |
| Mississippi River Bridge including MO & IL approach structures | $346 million |
| Illinois Relocated I-70 Roadways including Tri-Level interchange | $264 million |
Funding Breakdown
| Total Estimated Cost | $667 million |
| Source | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|
| Illinois Funding | $313 million |
| Missouri Funding | $115 million |
| Federal Funding | $239 million |
Ultimate Project Concept
In 2001, Illinois and Missouri received approval for a new Mississippi River Bridge and associated roadways. The two states lacked sufficient funding to construct all components of the project at the same time. The estimated cost of the Ultimate Project Concept is between $1.8 billion and $2.2 billion.
This future phase of the project will include the following key components:
- Relocated I-70 in Illinois, extending on a new alignment to the existing I-55/70 interchange east of IL 203.
- A companion bridge with four additional lanes of traffic.
- Further additions to the Missouri interchange with existing I-70 near Cass Avenue.
- Further improvements to the I-55/64/70 Tri-Level Interchange in East St. Louis.