The McClugage Bridge construction project marked a major milestone today with the arch "move-in" for the new eastbound span.
The Illinois Department of Transportation's Paul Wappel explained how the arch section is moved into position.
"You have several tugboats. You fill up several barges with water, tons of water, and you slowly float it so it moves in place," Wappel said.
Cables and winches are used to position the arch. Water is then pumped into the barges the arch section sits upon to weigh them down, allowing workers to lower the arch into place. It attaches to the trestles extending out into the Illinois River.
The arch section weighs seven million pounds, and stretches 652 feet long and 130 feet high. Bridge traffic wasn't affected Tuesday, but marine traffic on the Illinois River was prohibited within a 1.5 mile area.
"It'll probably take 24 to 48 hours, maybe a little bit longer, to get it secured and everything, but connecting it and just getting the arch in place is the big, big moment today," Wappel said.
The bridge's $167 million construction cost is part of the Rebuild Illinois capital improvement plan. The new eastbound bridge will include a new multi-use lane for pedestrians and cyclists.
It's expected to open to traffic sometime in fall 2024. The current eastbound span was finished in 1948 and will be demolished sometime in 2025. It's unclear how that span, which is positioned between the current westbound span and new eastbound span, will be taken down.
