Bison Bridge not part of new I-80 span plan

Hopes for a local tourist attraction called the Bison Bridge were officially trampled Wednesday, Nov. 15. During an online public meeting to discuss plans for a new Interstate 80 Mississippi River Bridge, the Illinois and Iowa Departments of Transportation jointly shot down the novel idea of repurposing the existing Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge into a […]

Hopes for a local tourist attraction called the Bison Bridge were officially trampled Wednesday, Nov. 15. During an online public meeting to discuss plans for a new Interstate 80 Mississippi River Bridge, the Illinois and Iowa Departments of Transportation jointly shot down the novel idea of repurposing the existing Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge into a multi-use path and nature conservatory featuring a herd of bison. Instead, the nearly 57-year-old bridge will be demolished to clear the way for two new spans on the heavily truck-trafficked river crossing between LeClaire, Iowa, and Rapids City, Illinois. The project is estimated to cost $288 million, and funds have already been budgeted by both states. Parsons Corp., the project’s engineering consultant, studied for more than a year a list of four finalist alternatives for the new bridge’s pathway. Alternative 5 was unveiled as the preferred option during the meeting because of a combination of cost effectiveness and the lowest amount of environmental impacts, according to the three Parsons engineers on the meeting panel.

“The further we get from the existing alignment, the more we are going to be impacting the adjacent properties,” Mike Kuehn, of the Illinois DOT, said while noting there was no perfect choice. “Go 20 feet either way, it’s going to impact a little. Go 50 feet, it’s going to impact more. Our goal is to try and minimize impacts on homes, businesses and the environment while maintaining (the project’s) purpose and need.” Construction is expected to begin within 25-100 feet west of the current bridge, said Todd Ude of Parsons. Once completed, all I-80 traffic moves to the first new span – which will offer two lanes in each direction – while the existing bridge is removed to clear the way for a new companion bridge in its place. Save for some brief ramp closures, Mr. Kuehn said I-80 will remain open to traffic throughout an estimated four-year bridge construction effort – with the start coming as early as 2027. Alternatives 2 and 4, which left open possibilities for a Bison Bridge, were dismissed by planners because of “greater residential relocations, commercial property impacts, and wetland impact,” according to the online panel and materials provided at the meeting. Alternative 3 – which offered an option within 100 feet east of the existing bridge – was dismissed due to higher environmental impacts than Alternative 5. Overall, seven alternatives were considered for the new bridge pathway, with three eliminated in the last online public meeting in October 2022. As part of the project, the preferred option for a reimaged I-80/I-88 interchange two miles east of the bridge in Illinois also was identified during the meeting. "While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we appreciate the opportunity to have been part of the decision-making process,” local environmentalist Chad Pregracke, president and founder of the Bison Bridge Foundation, said in a released statement. “The Bison Bridge project faces new challenges, and we are evaluating the next steps to determine the best course of action.” 

Bison Bridge reaction

While the decision dealt “a significant setback to the Bison Bridge Foundation,” said the media release with Mr. Pregracke’s statement, the nonprofit organization pledged to “remain dedicated to finding innovative solutions” with the help of ongoing community support. “The foundation acknowledges the disappointment felt by the community and expresses deep gratitude for the unwavering support received throughout this challenging journey,” the release added. "As we navigate this challenging moment, we urge our supporters to visit i80mississippibridge.com and leave comments before (the) Nov. 29th (deadline) in the DOT's public record,” Mr. Pregracke said. “Your voices are a crucial part of the ongoing conversation advocating for the Bison Bridge and its positive impact on our community."

"Your comments matter. … Let's make sure our collective voice is heard, emphasizing the importance of this transformative initiative in the public record.” The Bison Bridge Foundation was established in 2020 with the mission of repurposing the old bridge into a public space to celebrate the Mississippi River and prairie; provide access to these treasured natural resources; and create a tourist destination for economic development in the Quad Cities region. The well-funded effort also planned to shepherd a small herd of bison at the facility and create an Illinois visitors center that would have offered the largest publicly accessible EV charging station in the state. However, same as any federal project, the new bridge is governed by the National Environmental Policy Act, “and the NEPA process doesn't allow us to consider potential economic development,” explained Steve Robery of the Illinois DOT. The strict guidelines require project planners to reduce the impacts on homes, businesses and the environment while meeting the public need. The preferred option currently impacts only eight homes (including two Iowa riverfront homes needing relocation) and a LeClaire business that may need to relocate because of new bridge ramps.

Mr. Kuehn said building both new spans to either side of the existing bridge – or perhaps leaving the old river crossing in the middle of the new construction -- would only multiply those impacts. “The alternatives that allow for the existing bridge to stay in place did not result in the lowest impacts,” Mr. Robery added. “So, that's why they were not selected. “There was another question, ‘Did we select this alternative to kill the Bison Bridge?’ No,” he said. “I encourage people if you disagree with what we have done to send us comments -- that's what this meeting is for, whether it's during the meeting or after the meeting and all those comments will be addressed.” And while the old bridge is set for demolition, representatives from states expressed the possibility of adding a pedestrian and bike path to the existing designs, akin to what was done for the new Interstate 74 Bridge. However, such a path would require a commitment by a local municipality, whether city or county, for snow removal and maintenance on the path.

New I-80 Bridge details

A new feature of the bridge will be three lanes and a shoulder to either side of each span. Two lanes on either span will be used for I-80 traffic flow, with the new third lane dedicated to on and off ramps on the bridge for increased safety – similar to the configuration on the new I-74 Bridge. “You’ll have your own lane now to travel from Illinois 84 to U.S. 67,” said Mark Peterson from Parsons, noting the tight squeeze now to get on the bridge from the on-ramps. Mr. Kuehn said the extra space on the bridge could help if Iowa and Illinois consider expanding I-80 to six lanes – three in each direction – from the I-88 interchange west in Illinois through Scott County in Iowa. However, current traffic volumes do not dictate that improvement everywhere, with only safety improvements considered right now at the busy U.S. 61 and I-74 interchanges, said Phil Mescher of the Iowa DOT.

Affected home and business owners will be approached after Phase I of the project is completed in early or mid-2024 with a fifth and final public meeting following final refinements to the plan to see what other impacts can be avoided. Typically, Mr. Kuehn said, Phase II involves acquisitions that usually take between two and three years before groundbreaking and Phase III construction can begin. Besides those residential and commercial impacts, the other biggest worries with the new bridge include effects on Sycamore Creek on the Iowa side and the Mississippi Rapids Rest Stop on the Illinois side. New on-ramps expanded to modern standards could require a short retaining wall to retain the creek’s normal flow and avoid flooding upstream near a housing development, said Mr. Peterson. He added project planners are in the process of conducting a noise analysis near the housing to determine if sound barriers are needed. The overlook rest area also may need an improved access road or a retaining wall to protect the current access road, Mr. Peterson said. “Obviously it's a beautiful, scenic overlook to the Mississippi, so it’s something we want to try and preserve,” added Mr. Robery. 

New I-80/I-88 interchange

From three finalists, Alternative B was selected – an expanded cloverleaf interchange with an outer direct ramp to address the safety concerns on the high volume I-80 East to I-88 East ramp. The Illinois DOT provided accident information for the troublesome interchange, and the high incidence of accidents made the direct ramp option the priority. Costing less was an alternative with similar environmental impacts – an expanded cloverleaf with all four loops expanded and minor ramp modifications at the Old IL 2 interchange. “But the extra cost is well worth the investment in safety,” Mr. Kuehn said, noting vehicles slow to 25 mph approaching the I-80 east ramp to I-88, or risk truck overturns or create backed traffic pileups. “It's not a capacity issue,” added Tony Pakelitis of Parsons. “It's a deficient curve. This fixes that.”  The first option dismissed Wednesday was Alternative D – which called for all four ramps to be removed and replaced by a fully directional, four-level interchange. That option also called for a complete modification of the Old IL 2. That alternative not only cost four times more than the others but carried significantly more environmental impacts. “We look out to 2050 with the traffic forecasts provided to us by the Bi-State Regional Commission,” Mr. Pakelitis said. “And based on what we're seeing, that level of improvement is not on the horizon at that location. That’s a design you normally see in a dense urban area,” such as Los Angeles or New York City. The panel noted the bridge and interchange construction could be staggered and split – rather than tackled at the same time – to avoid more traffic nightmares.

Meeting notes

Mr. Robery said nearly 100 questions were received during the two-hour, 32-minute meeting. Many were redundant, with the panel sifting through the questions live and trying to avoid being repetitive while addressing the many topics – including ramp closures, rainwater runoff, overpass clearances, localizing excess right-away under the bridges, maritime impacts and other environmental concerns. In many instances, the panelists explained more details will be forthcoming at the next online meeting in early to mid-2024 as more refinements are made. For any questions not answered directly during the online session, Mr. Robery said the panel will be working hard to address them by email in the coming days. Questions received at the project website prior to the Nov. 29 deadline to offer comment also will be answered. The meeting materials, including a recording of the online session is on the website, https://www.i80mississippibridge.com.