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 | |
| Coordinates | 41°45′01″N 87°51′55″W / 41.7504°N 87.8652°W |
| Carries | 8 lanes of   I-294 Toll |
| Crosses | Des Plaines River Ship and Sanitary Canal BNSF Chillicothe Subdivision CN Joliet Subdivision Chicago Intermodal Facility |
| Locale | Willow Springs, IL |
| Maintained by | Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |
| ID number | 000016095903931[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Steel girder[1] |
| Total length | 4,608 ft (1,404.5 m)[1] |
| Width | 42 ft (12.8 m)[1] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1958[1] |
| Rebuilt | 2022[2] |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 150,000[3] |
| Location | |
 | |
In spite of its name, the bridge falls 672 feet (205 m) short of one full mile in length.
History edit
Reconstruction (2019–2023) edit
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 edit
- ^ a b c d e f Svirsky, Alexander R. (2007). "NBI Structure Number: 000016095903931". Retrieved November 21, 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Central Tri-State Tollway Project". Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ Roz Varon (May 14, 2019). "New Mile Long Bridge to be built along Tri-State Tollway". WLS-TV. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ "Mile-Long Bridge Project". Retrieved June 16, 2020.
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