Illinois officials held a dedication ceremony Saturday for the rehabbed McKinley Bridge, but the historic Mississippi River span won’t be ready for traffic until as late as mid-December, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The McKinley Bridge, which once carried an alignment of Route 66 from Venice, Ill., to St. Louis, was closed in 2001 because of severe deterioration. More than $50 million in repairs later, the 1910 bridge was reopened to pedestrian and bicycle traffic on Saturday. Once fully functional, it’s anticipated it will carry at least 10,000 vehicles a day. And, unlike previous years, it will be a free — not a toll — bridge.
The “Salute to Steel” sculpture also was dedicated Saturday on the Illinois side of the bridge. The structure of three interlocking rings is a tribute to the region’s long history in steel manufacturing.
KSDK-TV in St. Louis also posted a story, with a video (although I couldn’t get it to run earlier).
Saturday’s ceremony was a bit anticlimatic. Illinois’ governor was supposed to attend, but no articles I’ve found indicate that he showed. Also, the Illinois Department of Transportation a few weeks ago was fairly optimistic the bridge would open for traffic. But instead, it’s going to be a several more weeks.
But it’s a good day. The city of Madison, Ill., is optimistic the bridge’s reopening will mean a long-needed economic boost. And Route 66 travelers soon will have a new option to cross the mighty Mississippi.