Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
800-523-2200
Mon August 08, 2022 - Midwest Edition #16
As the piers for the new eastbound McClugage Bridge continue to rise from the Illinois River in Peoria, the next phase of construction will be just as exciting.
Currently in view on the river just 300 yds. south of the new bridge site are green pilings that will support a temporary structure that will be used to build the structure's centerpiece — a tied-arch. Measuring 650 ft. long when complete, the entire arch will be constructed there and then hoisted into place with a crane onto the new piers.
The highest point of the arch will measure 130 ft. above the bridge deck, with stay cables supporting the deck below. Nothing less than precise engineering goes into a project like this, as independent, opposite ends of the arch will take shape to meet exactly in the middle of the highest point of the curve.
Construction of the new $167 million bridge began in spring 2019. When completed in 2023, it will replace a more than 70-year-old bridge that carries more than 20,000 eastbound trips daily from Peoria. This new structure will improve capacity, increase safety, reduce travel times and ensure additional multimodal access with bike/pedestrian accommodations.
Following the opening, it will take a year to demolish the old bridge and complete the new bridge over Adams Street.
For more information, visit McClugageBridge.com.