CHESTER, Ill. -- Crews are scheduled to begin working on the new bridge spanning over the Mississippi River from Chester, Ill. to Perry County, Mo. this week.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced contractor crews will start on construction work of the Don Welge Memorial Bridge (Chester Bridge) within the next several days.
The new design-build project will connect Perryville to Chester via MO Route51/IL Route 150.
Crews will work on the construction of an embankment for the new roadway, fill, utility work, and they will also construct a temporary access road over the levee.
Back in March 2023, The Ames Team was selected as the design-build contractor to replace the bridge.
MoDOT provides details of the bridge...
The Chester Bridge has two 11-foot lanes and carries 7,000 vehicles per day. It connects the cities of Chester, Illinois and Perryville, Missouri across the Mississippi River via Route 51.
The current truss bridge was originally constructed in 1942 and was re-constructed in 1944 after a severe storm destroyed the main span. The bridge has allowed motorists to travel both east and west across the Mississippi River for 80 years.
Over the course of eight decades, the Chester Bridge has become less functional for modern vehicles. Although the bridge is safe for travel, this aging structure is considered to be in poor condition. MoDOT is continuing to monitor the bridge. The last inspection occurred in fall 2021.
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved an amendment to the FY2022-2026 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to fund the Chester Bridge Replacement Project (J9P3857) during its meeting on Sept. 9, 2021. In addition, the MHTC approved the Southeast District's proposal to complete the Chester Bridge Replacement Project using the design-build project delivery method. The design-build method will allow industry input on both the design and construction of this work.
Project Goals
- Replace both structures within the project budget using durable 100-year, low maintenance structure(s).
- Provide a safe and reliable transportation solution for all modes of transportation.
- Complete the project no later than December 1, 2026 with the least impacts to all modes of transportation.
- Deliver the project safely while utilizing a diverse workforce.
The project completion date is December of 2026.
