US 60/62 Mississippi River bridge to reopen after nearly a year being closed

CAIRO, Ill. -- The U.S. 60/62 bridge over the Mississippi River is reopening on Wednesday at noon. This coming after nearly a year of being closed.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced they will reopen traffic after they originally closed it on October 2023 for structural steel repairs.

The repairs were part of a $5.86 million project. The work was originally to be completed by October 1, but finished ahead of schedule due to favorable weather conditions and repairs going as planned.

Over the next six years, IDOT says they are planning to improve more than 3,000 miles of highway and nearly 10 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation.

Accomplishments through Year Four of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $12.1 billion of improvements statewide on 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges and 762 additional safety improvements, IDOT stated in a release.