Mile-Long Bridge

The Mile-Long Bridge is the colloquial name for a 4,608-foot-long (1,404.5 m) bridge in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. The bridge carries Interstate 294 (I-294) over the Des Plaines River, the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal, two major railroad lines, and an intermodal facility. A series of 51 piers carries I-294 over the broad Des Plaines River valley.[1]

Mile-Long Bridge
The Mile-Long bridge crossing the Des Plaines River
Coordinates41.7504°N 87.8652°W / 41.7504; -87.8652
Carries8 lanes of
I-294 Toll
CrossesDes Plaines River
Ship and Sanitary Canal
BNSF Chillicothe Subdivision
CN Joliet Subdivision
Chicago Intermodal Facility
LocaleWillow Springs, IL
Maintained byIllinois State Toll Highway Authority
ID number000016095903931[1]
Characteristics
DesignSteel girder[1]
Total length4,608 ft (1,404.5 m)[1]
Width42 ft (12.8 m)[1]
History
Opened1958[1]
Rebuilt2022[2]
Statistics
Daily traffic150,000[3]
Location

In spite of its name, the bridge falls 672 feet (205 m) short of one full mile in length.

History

Reconstruction (2019–2023)

As part of the Central Tri-State Tollway Project, construction of a new Mile-Long Bridge structure, together with demolition of the original 1958 structure, proceeded in phases commencing in 2019.[4] In the first completed phase of the project, a new northbound bridge structure opened to traffic in November 2020. Demolition of the old northbound structure commenced in 2021, followed by the construction of a new southbound structure. The completed southbound structure opened to traffic in October 2022. Removal of the old southbound structure is expected to be complete in 2023.[2]

References
  1. Svirsky, Alexander R. (2007). "NBI Structure Number: 000016095903931". Retrieved November 21, 2007.
  2. "Central Tri-State Tollway Project". Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  3. Roz Varon (May 14, 2019). "New Mile Long Bridge to be built along Tri-State Tollway". WLS-TV. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  4. "Mile-Long Bridge Project". Retrieved June 16, 2020.


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