BETTENDORF, Iowa — We are entering into a year of final touches on a big Quad Cities construction project.
As cars speed by on the New I-74 bridge, construction crews are picking up the pieces -- specifically for the second arch.
"So, right now we've got 22 of 30 pieces of the arch in place," said I-74 Bridge Corridor Manager George Ryan.
Ryan said he expects the second arch, on the Illinois-bound bridge, to be completed by summer. But, crews only have a little wiggle room as each piece of the arch is installed.
"It has to be put together very precisely, and when we get up to put the last piece of the arch in, the arch is about an 800-foot span and that last piece you have to be within 10 inches," Ryan said.
Also needing some attention are the lanes we are currently driving on, on the Iowa-bound bridge. Because that bridge is being used for both directions of travel while crews finish the other bridge, cars are driving on the shoulder to ensure there is enough space for two lanes of travel in each direction, according to Ryan.
"The shoulders are really designed to help water drain away from the pavement, and there was actually a drain that got plugged," Ryan said.
Some construction debris and plastic are among the items that clogged a drain on Tuesday, causing more water to pool on the bridge, Ryan said. That led to some cars hydroplaning.
But, Ryan said that will not be an issue once both bridges are open.
"Even if a drain plugs, you've got the whole shoulder width to fill up with water before it gets out onto the pavement," Ryan said.
In the meantime, construction crews will pay closer attention to the drains, and address any concerns before that pooling happens again, Ryan said.
Drivers will also notice a traffic change in early April. Crews are finishing a new exit ramp, taking drivers from I-74 to 6th Avenue in Moline. An official date for that exit opening has not been announced.
"That'll be much quicker, easier for getting into the business, downtown, business portions of Moline," Ryan said.
Ryan admits crews did start the second arch later than they had hoped, but says workers are moving quicker now on the second arch, having already done one.
Ryan also said drivers will still be able to access Moline's River Drive from the Old I-74 bridge until the new bridge project is complete. The 7th Avenue exit from the old bridge will be the next exit to close, Ryan said.
The project is expected to be completed on schedule, by the end of this year, and is under-budget as of March 2021, according to Ryan.