Officials in Illinois and Iowa have revealed the final design for a new Interstate 80 bridge over the Mississippi River, setting the stage for construction to begin in early 2028 on a project that will finally retire a 60-year-old crossing between East Moline and LeClaire. The plan calls for two separate three-lane spans to replace the current four-lane bridge, a project that could take up to five years to complete once work begins.
According to WQAD, crews will use a phased approach: building a new downriver span first, shifting traffic onto it, demolishing the existing structure, and then constructing a second companion span in its place. That staging is meant to keep I-80 traffic moving across the river even as the old bridge comes down. The Illinois and Iowa departments of transportation hosted a media briefing at LeClaire City Hall for a preview and Q&A with media, followed by a separate public open house.
A Six-Mile Corridor Gets a Major Overhaul
The replacement project spans roughly six miles of interstate, stretching from the I-88 interchange in East Moline, Illinois, to 35th Street SW in LeClaire, Iowa, per the Iowa Department of Transportation. The current single four-lane bridge will be replaced with two separate spans carrying three travel lanes apiece, expanding total highway capacity from four lanes to six. On the Illinois side, the project also includes a major redesign of the I-88 and I-80 interchange, expanding it into a cloverleaf configuration with an outer direct ramp intended to address safety concerns.
The project's estimated total cost is $288 million, though the final cost may be higher. Project managers intend to keep two travel lanes open in each direction along I-80 for most of the five-year construction window, though drivers should expect temporary ramp and road closures affecting U.S. 67, Illinois 84, and local streets near the I-88 interchange.
A Bike Path Across the Mississippi
Commuters won't be the only ones benefiting from the new crossing. The westbound bridge span will include a dedicated multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians, linking Illinois's Great River Trail with trail networks on the Iowa side. The connection stems from an agreement between Rock Island County and the City of LeClaire to partner on the path.
Before any major construction can begin, crews face a packed 2027 environmental to-do list. Preparations include relocating protected freshwater mussel species from the riverbed, along with enforcing a seasonal tree-clearing ban from April 1 through October 31 to protect endangered bat habitats.
Why the Old Bridge Had to Go
The structure being replaced, officially the Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge, is named for a former Iowa U.S. representative who helped advance the Interstate Highway Act. It opened to traffic in 1967 and carries an estimated 42,000 vehicles per day. That traffic burden, carried for roughly six decades, has been central to officials' case for a full replacement rather than a renovation.
The decision to tear the bridge down entirely wasn't without controversy. The selected alternative ended hopes for a high-profile citizen proposal known as the Bison Bridge, which sought to convert the existing span into a wildlife crossing and park featuring a small herd of American bison. Officials opted instead for complete demolition to make way for the new dual spans.
With the final design now public, the next milestones to watch will be how engineering plans firm up, how environmental permitting proceeds through 2027, and whether that $288 million price tag holds once shovels actually hit the ground in 2028.
