Photo: Iowa Department of Transportation
(Undated) -- The new I-74 bridge over the Mississippi River has been named a top 12-finalist in the America's Transportation Awards. Voting for the national People's Choice Award can be done on americantransportationawards.org, until October 21st. The Iowa DOT says voting is easy, just click the “Vote Now” button, and select “The Memorial Bridge (Interstate 74 Mississippi River Crossing)” to cast your vote.
“The I-74 Mississippi River Bridge has become an icon in the Quad Cities and the Midwest,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Those who have seen the positive impact it brings to the region would agree that the bridge is absolutely deserving of national recognition. Cast your votes to bring home this prestigious award.”
“We are proud of the teamwork between Illinois and Iowa in delivering this project,” said Iowa Department of Transportation Director Scott Marler. “We ask for your support to help bring home this award and show the rest of the country, once again, that our states, industry partners and labor force know how to build world-class infrastructure.”
Both the Grand Prize and People’s Choice Award come with $10,000 to provide to a charity, not-for-profit or transportation-related scholarship by the winning states.
The four-lane bridge opened in 2021 and has a 14-foot-wide bike and pedestrian path with a scenic overlook, and connections to existing paths in Bettendorf and Moline.
The approximately $1 billion project includes twin river bridges, new interchanges, ramps, and local road reconfigurations. For more information on the project, visit www.i74riverbridge.com.