MOLINE, Ill. — Watch the Bridge Pointe Camera as the Interstate 74 Bridge is getting one step closer to complete.
The keystone piece of the arch on the Illinois-bound side is set to be installed Wednesday morning, May 5. This is part of Phase 2, which has been a multi-year wave of construction.
Almost exactly one year earlier, the keystone piece of the Iowa-bound arch was installed.
The piece being installed on the Illinois side weighs 240,000 pounds. The Iowa-side keystone that was installed in 2020 weighs 215,000 pounds.
Here's how it's placed:
A work platform is first installed under the gap in the arch. This is held in with struts and jacks and helps spread the arches before setting in the final piece.
A crane lifts the keystone up to the arch and ironworkers guide it into place, according to a statement from the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge website. Then, after a series of measurements and adjustments, the piece gets bolted in.
When all is said and done, the keystone will have about 4,000 bolts keeping it in place. That process can take several weeks. In the meantime, a cable will help the support the keystone.
About the I-74 Bridge:
Both directions of traffic will have three lanes and one exit lane, as well as full-sized shoulders. A bike and pedestrian path will be included on the Illinois-bound side that's separate from traffic. This path will connect to the paths in Bettendorf and Moline.
Organizers are working to have the Illinois-bound side open to traffic by the end of 2021.
The video below shows the installation of the Iowa-bound piece on May 6, 2020.
