Rock Island Centennial Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Centennial Bridge


caption=
official_name= Rock Island Centennial Bridge
carries= 4 lanes of US 67
crosses= Mississippi River
locale= Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois
maint= Iowa and Illinois Department of Transportationcite web|title=Rock Island Illinois|url=http://www2.rigov.org/pdf/pressreleases/2005/101905centennialbridge.pdf
publisher=City of Rock Island, Illinois|accessdate =2008-02-04]
id=
design= Steel arch bridge
mainspan=
length= convert|4447|ft|m|0
width=
clearance=
below= convert|66|ft|m|0
traffic= 14,900cite web | title = Bridges: Iowa, Illinois order safety inspections| publisher =Quad City Times| url =http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/08/02/news/local/doc46b2b2d1e0291186322522.txt| date = | accessdate =2007-12-19 ]
open= July 12, 1940cite web|title=Centennial Bridge|url=http://www2.rigov.org/pdf/0405budget/bridge.pdf
publisher=City of Rock Island, Illinois|accessdate =2008-02-04]
closed=
toll=
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates= coord|41|30|54|N|90|34|54|W|region:US_type:landmark
lat=
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The Centennial Bridge, or Rock Island Centennial Bridge, connects Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. The bridge is convert|3850|ft|m|0 long and stands convert|170|ft|m|0 above water level. In 1988, lights were installed on the arches, which make the bridge a very scenic sight at night.

Construction of the bridge began in 1938 and it opened on July 12, 1940 as a toll bridge. The bridge cost $1.75 million to construct. It was designed by Ash-Howard-Needles & Tammen and built by the American Bridge Company, McCarthy Improvement Company, and Priester Construction Company. The original toll was $0.10, and eventually rose to $0.50 for automobiles (and as high as $2.00 for semi-trucks). The tolls were removed from the bridge on May 2, 2003. On that day, a ceremony was held to commemorate the occasion, as well as to honor the toll workers and those who had worked for the bridge during the toll era. The bridge had been under the management of Sue Nelson before going toll-free.

Early in the bridge's history, pedestrians paid a $.05 walker's fee; this fee ended in 1960.

It was originally going to be named the "Galbraith Bridge", after Rock Island's mayor at the time, Robert Galbraith. He suggested it be named the Centennial Bridge, in commemoration of the city of Rock Island's centennial.

The five arches of the bridge are a symbol often used to represent the Quad Cities. Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport is located just upriver from the bridge. On the Rock Island side, "The District," the nightlife hub of the Quad Cities, is located about one block east of the bridge.

References

ee also

*List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

External links

* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.ia0449 Survey number HAER IA-73]

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Mississippi River
bridge = Rock Island Centennial Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Government Bridge (Arsenal Bridge)
upstream signs =
downstream = Crescent Rail Bridge
downstream signs =