Plans ‘in the works’ to reopen bridge parking

Tucked into a story by the Granite City (Ill.) Press-Record about a litter cleanup event at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, once a part of Route 66, was this:

At this time, parking is available on the Illinois side, and has recently been improved by the city of Madison.

Except during special events, the Missouri entrance is locked, but there is still access to the bridge from the bike trails.

“There are a couple of plans in the works (to open the Missouri side), but I don’t know what the schedule will be,” Weilbacher said.

Parking on the Missouri side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was closed in November after a number of vehicle burglaries. Trailnet, which oversees the bridge as part of a hiking and bicycling trail, said it didn’t have enough money to maintain enough security at the parking lot there.

So Route 66ers have been forced to park on the Illinois side to visit the bridge. That isn’t necessarily bad, but that location is considerably less accessible to travelers from nearby Interstate 270.

Perhaps Trailnet will announce a security pact with the St. Louis Police Department, and the Missouri parking lot to the bridge will reopen. Let’s hope so. The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is a Route 66 treasure, and it deserves more accessibility for tourists.