On June 26th, R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. (R.M. Chin) participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited I-74 Bridge expansion. Both Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds along with Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation Mark Lowe, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Randall S. Blankenhorn, Bettendorf Mayor Pro-Tem Debe LeMar, and Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri helped to break ground on this estimated $1.2 billion bridge improvement project to better facilitate transportation in the Quad Cities region and promote continued economic development.
Quad Cities has historically provided an important east-west link in the nation’s transportation network. The original span of the I-74 Bridge opened to traffic in 1935, connecting Illinois and Iowa over the Mississippi River. It took 25 years for the second span to open in 1960. Today, the bridge is over capacity with more than 74,000 accounted vehicles for the average daily traffic count.
As a subconsultant to Amec Foster Wheeler on this collaborative project between the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Transportation, R.M. Chin is providing construction management services including project controls and scheduling. R.M. Chin recognizes that schedule control is an essential project element and is working with all team members, agencies, and stakeholders to develop a master schedule to encompass all anticipated phases, milestones, and key coordination dates.
The overall scope involves construction of new dual basket-handle arch structures, as well as main line pavement reconstruction and new interchanges in Bettendorf, Iowa and Moline, Illinois. The full project is expected to be complete no later than 2021. Once complete, the bridge will feature wider vehicular lanes and a dedicated bike and pedestrian lane over the Mississippi River.
Work begins this summer on Middle Road in Bettendorf and Avenue of the Cities in Moline.
About R.M. Chin:
R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc. (R.M. Chin), a M/W/DBE firm, provides expert Owner’s Representation, Project/Program, and Construction Management services for leading public and private entities in the transportation, aviation, and buildings sectors.
