The $307 million Don Welge Memorial Bridge in the US has now been opened officially. The cable-stayed bridge features three-towers and spans the Mississippi River. The project has been carried out jointly by Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
The majority of the funding, 85%, has been supplied by Federal sources. The remainder of the funding for the project was supplied by MoDOT and IDOT.
The Don Welge Memorial Bridge spans the Mississippi River and connects Perryville, Missouri, and Chester, Illinois via Missouri Route 51/Illinois Route 150.
Safer bridge
The new structure replaces the Chester Bridge, which was completed in 1942 and had to be repaired in 1946 following damage caused by a massive storm. The new bridge features wider traffic lanes and emergency shoulders, as well as meeting current safety requirements and traffic needs. The design of the new bridge was completed in in 2018, with construction having started in the third quarter of 2023. The timeline for the demolition of the old bridge has yet to be released.
The new bridge construction project was carried out under the design, build and deliver model following approval from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
