‘We Did That’: I-74 Bridge opening marks IMEG’s largest civil project
The Dec. 1 grand opening of the new I-74 Bridge over the Mississippi River marked not only a much-needed and long-awaited transportation improvement for the Quad-Cities of Iowa and Illinois, but also the completion of IMEG Corp.’s largest civil project in the firm’s history.
“The I-74 River Bridge is a testament to what is possible when we work together to build a better Midwest,” Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the approximately $1 billion project. “These improvements will support safer and shorter commutes, connect economies across the Mississippi, and spark opportunity across the Quad Cities.”
IMEG’s construction engineering, materials testing, and inspection teams provided services on multiple components of the overall Interstate 74 Bridge Corridor Project, which spans the Mississippi River in the Quad-Cities between Moline, Ill., and Bettendorf, Iowa. Construction began in 2017 and included the replacement of the I-74 bridge plus nearly eight miles of corridor improvements. The new structure features dual basket-handle arch bridges with main channel spans of 800 feet. The bridges support six lanes in each direction, including an outboard bicycle and pedestrian path.
“I started helping lobby for this project many years ago,” said IMEG Vice President of Civil Engineering Pat Eikenberry following the ribbon cutting. “We had 20 people on the job for about four-and-a-half years, and we feel like we’ve really been able to contribute to the community. There was a lot of work that went in, under the water and down low. But when the structure started rising out of the ground, well, we have a hashtag we use that says, ‘We did that!’ We’re extremely excited, and now that it’s done and over, it’s time to celebrate.”
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