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McClugage Bridge

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Coordinates: 40°43′12″N 89°32′45″W / 40.72000°N 89.54583°W / 40.72000; -89.54583
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McClugage Bridge
McClugage Bridge from the west side of the Illinois River; 1982 span in foreground, 1948 span in background
Coordinates40°43′12″N 89°32′45″W / 40.72000°N 89.54583°W / 40.72000; -89.54583
Carries5 lanes (3 WB, 2 EB) of US 150
CrossesIllinois River
LocalePeoria, Illinois
Official nameMcClugage Bridge
Maintained byIllinois Department of Transportation
ID numberWB: 000090011505461
Old EB: 000090007019729[1]
Characteristics
DesignDual cantilever bridges
Total length4,745.1 ft (1446.3 m)[1]
WidthWB: 39.0 ft (11.9 m)
Old EB: 28.9 ft (8.8 m)[1]
Longest span190 m
Load limitWB: 77.2 metric tons
Old EB: 55.8 metric tons[1]
Clearance below14.9 m[1]
History
OpenedWB: 1982
Old EB: 1948
New EB: 2024
RebuiltEB: 2000, 2019–2024
Statistics
Daily traffic30,000 (combined, As of 2021)[2]
Location
Map

The McClugage Bridge carries U.S. Route 150 over Upper Peoria Lake and Peoria Lake in the Illinois River in the US state of Illinois. Originally opened in 1948, the crossing has had two physical structures since 1982, one carrying westbound traffic and one carrying eastbound traffic.

The bridge's official name honors David H. McClugage, mayor of Peoria from 1937 to 1941.[3]

History

[edit]
Ironworkers Memorial, located near Grand View Drive

The original span of the McClugage Bridge was designed as a steel cantilever bridge in 1939[4] to replace the Upper Free Bridge across a narrow stretch of Upper Peoria Lake just to the north. Due to World War II, the bridge was not completed until 1948.[3]

In 1964, the bridge was repaired after over a decade of service.[5]

An additional three-lane span of similar style was constructed immediately north of the existing bridge in 1982.[4][5] Since 1982, the northern span has carried westbound traffic, and the original southern two-lane span carried only eastbound traffic from 1982 to 2024.[5]

The southern span was rehabilitated in 2000. During rehabilitation, an accident in 2000 killed three iron workers when scaffolding on the bridge collapsed 62 feet (19 m) into the river.[3] Due to this tragedy, there was an effort to change the name of the bridge to "Ironworkers Memorial Bridge". However, instead of the name change, the iron workers were memorialized by a monument on Lorentz Avenue near the bridge that was dedicated in April 2001.[3][6]

In 2019, construction began on replacing the deteriorated eastbound, original span with a three-lane wide tied-arch bridge, along with a multi-use path on the right side.[5] The new bridge will also include a protected bike lane and pedestrian path. After the $167 million eastbound bridge is complete, a $54.8 million rehabilitation of the westbound 1982 bridge will follow.[7] The new bridge, originally slated to be completed by the fall of 2023, was re-scheduled to open in 2024.[8][9][10]

The new eastbound span opened to road traffic in the early morning hours of December 19, 2024. Completion of the multiuse path, and demolition of the 1948 span, is to follow later.[11][12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "National Bridge Inventory Database Search - 2012". nationalbridges.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
  2. ^ "Traffic Counts". Getting Around Illinois. Illinois Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Kravetz, Andy (June 26, 2015). "Extra: Peoria's bridges over the Illinois River have interesting origins". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  4. ^ a b http://www.hanson-inc.com/bridges/bridges_mcclugage.htm[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ a b c d "HISTORY - McClugage Bridge". McClugage Bridge. Illinois Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  6. ^ Sofradzija, Omar (April 19, 2001). "Memorial dedication set -- Bridge workers to be honored with monument". Peoria Journal Star. p. B2. Retrieved January 24, 2025 – via NewsBank: America's News.
  7. ^ "Gov. Pritzker Celebrates 167 Million McClugage Bridge Improvement Project". Illinois.gov (Press release). State of Illinois. September 20, 2021. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Kravetz, Andy (February 13, 2023). "The McClugage Bridge is behind schedule. Here's why and what's next in the transformation". Peoria Journal Star. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "- McClugage Bridge Project". Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  10. ^ "McClugage Bridge | Construction | Peoria, Illinois". McClugageBridge. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  11. ^ "New McClugage Bridge set for partial opening" (PDF) (Press release). Illinois Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  12. ^ Kramer, Mike (December 19, 2024). "McClugage Bridge partially open to traffic. Here are the details". PJStar.com. Peoria, Illinois: Gannett. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
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