I-270 River Crossing Opens Monday
The new westbound span links Granite City and Bellefontaine Neighbors, handling doubled traffic volume since 1966.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
Drivers crossing the Mississippi River on Interstate 270 will use a new westbound span starting Monday, Nov. 16. The bridge connects North St. Louis County to the Metro East, replacing an older structure that has served traffic since 1966.
Illinois and Missouri transportation officials marked the project's completion on Monday. The work falls under the Rebuild Illinois program, a $531.6 million initiative designed to modernize state freight corridors. Gia Biagi, the Illinois Transportation Secretary, credited the joint effort for strengthening the region's role as a freight hub.
The existing bridge, known as the New Chain of Rocks Bridge, has required extensive repairs over the decades. The Illinois Department of Transportation states the structure is nearing the end of its design life. Officials noted that daily traffic at the crossing has more than doubled since the original span was constructed.
The original Chain of Rocks Bridge opened as a toll road in 1929. It closed to vehicles after the 1966 construction but remains open to pedestrians. The new infrastructure consists of twin bridges carrying two lanes of traffic in opposite directions.
Construction crews will continue work on the median, install new guardrails, and apply fresh paint to the structures. Both eastbound and westbound spans are scheduled to expand to three lanes by next summer to support a wider I-270 roadway.
