Florence Bridge
Florence Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 39°37′57.30″N 90°36′26.36″W / 39.6325833°N 90.6073222°WCoordinates: 39°37′57.30″N 90°36′26.36″W / 39.6325833°N 90.6073222°W |
Carries |
Illinois Route 100 Illinois Route 106 |
Crosses | Illinois River |
Locale | Florence, Illinois |
History | |
Opened | 1929 |
The Florence Bridge is a bridge that carries Illinois Route 100 and Illinois Route 106 across the Illinois River just east of Florence, Illinois, hence the name. The bridge is the middle of the three crossings on IL 100, with the other two in Hardin (South of Florence) and Beardstown (North of Florence). From its opening in 1929 until 1991, it carried US Route 36 and IL 100. In 1991, Interstate 72 and the Valley City Eagle Bridges were completed six miles upstream, and US 36 was signed onto I-72, with the old route signed as IL 106 (IL 100 was not rerouted). The bridge was rehabilitated in 1981, and again in 2004. The second time, the bridge was closed due to the need to replace the deck. Traffic was detoured to I-72. In 2012, the bridge's lifting mechanism that allows barge traffic to pass under the bridge had serious problems, and continued use could affect the structural integrity of the span. Therefore, the span was raised and the bridge closed for 9 months for repairs, using I-72 as a detour. The bridge reopened on April 22, 2013.
External links
- Florence Bridge at Bridgehunter.com
- IDoT press release telling of bridge's reopening
- Newman, Jeff; Forest, Geoff (April 2014). "Up & At 'Em" (PDF). Modern Steel Construction: 24–26.