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IL: I-270 Chain of Rocks Canal Bridges to be replaced

Started by Revive 755, December 02, 2009, 09:03:48 PM

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Revive 755

IDOT held a poorly publicized meeting today for replacing the twin truss bridges on I-270 over the canal today.  The new bridge will be a plate girder to the north of the existing bridges.  Wetland issues ruled out a southern alignment.  The main alternative design was a single tower, asymetrical cable stayed bridge, supposedly with a 1500' span. but the lack of funds requires a cheaper bridge.  The nearby interchange with IL 3 will be converted from a full cloverleaf to a partial cloverleaf with loops in the NE and SE quadrants; however the interchange is supposedly designed so SB IL 3 traffic will not have to stop at the intersection with the WB I-270 exit.

What seems to be the worst design feature of this project is the substandard shoulders on the new bridge; only 4' outer shoulders are planned, partly starting out for the section with accel/decel lanes for the IL 3 interchange, and I believe all the way across should the bridge be restriped for three through lanes each way in the future.


Brandon

Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge.  Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?

And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Scott5114

uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

kharvey10

Well the canal and river bridges don't have shoulders, and have seen several crippling bridge closing accidents that can cause a ripple effect in the Metro East like no other.  (See December 8, 2010.)  Odds are that the ones that designed the highway in the 1950s and early 1960s are not living anymore, and IDiOT still wants to treat their section of 270 like a piece of junk even though it gets a good chunk of I-70 truck traffic.

Here is a short blog in regards of the problem.

kharvey10

Quote from: Brandon on December 03, 2009, 11:15:45 AM
Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge.  Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?

And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
The IL  3 interchange looks like a piece of junk now they're in process of partially rebuilding it.  They rebuilt the WB to NB ramp and its a pain in the ass to use it.  The locals are going to be pissed when they see the end result of that.  I haven't been able to get pics yet due to some other priorities that popped up.

ShawnP

Maybe they can save money and build a 4 lane bridge like Downtown STL.

kharvey10

Quote from: ShawnP on September 17, 2011, 10:23:11 PM
Maybe they can save money and build a 4 lane bridge like Downtown STL.
Its already a 4 lane bridge to start, with no shoulders to boot.

ShawnP


kharvey10

only problem is that IDiOT is on the hook with 270 bridge

Brandon

Quote from: kharvey10 on September 19, 2011, 10:42:05 PM
only problem is that IDiOT is on the hook with 270 bridge

True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

agentsteel53

Quote from: Brandon on September 19, 2011, 10:47:22 PM
True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.

seriously?  abutments and all?
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Brandon

Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 19, 2011, 11:03:09 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 19, 2011, 10:47:22 PM
True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.

seriously?  abutments and all?

The middle of the Mississippi River is the state line.  The Chain of Rocks Canal (over which the steel bridge above goes) is east of there, entirely within Illinois.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

kharvey10

and IDiOT hasn't given a care since day 1.  It took IDiOT a very long time to cave into pressure from Alton in replacing the Clark Bridge back in the day.  The locals only needed 8 months after the new one opened to realize they got screwed.  At the same time, those same locals realized that IDiOT didn't give a care about the 270 corridor at all.  Since that infamous August night in 1994, IDiOT still hasn't given an effing care in the world and every time things go horribly wrong on 270 you can't get around Alton unless you know every back alley in town.

ShawnP



kharvey10

got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/

IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet.  They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.

ShawnP

Sounds like the Minton on a smaller scale..........

intelati49

Quote from: kharvey10 on October 03, 2011, 01:07:32 PM
got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/

IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet.  They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808 http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808 Honestly these scare me. :paranoid: Remind me NOT to drive on I-270 west of the MO border. :no:

Brandon

Quote from: intelati49 on October 03, 2011, 05:28:21 PM
Quote from: kharvey10 on October 03, 2011, 01:07:32 PM
got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/

IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet.  They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808 http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808 Honestly these scare me. :paranoid: Remind me NOT to drive on I-270 west of the MO border. :no:


East, not west.  These bridges are entirely within Illinois.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

kharvey10


kharvey10

http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/bridge-64263-new-construction.html

The Alton Telegraph (the local paper) had a front page article today about this project.  Unlike the other two recent articles, the reporter talks about what IDiOT really wants to do long term - widen 270 from MP 1 or 2 to the Route 111 intersection.  Something important is really missing from IDiOT long term plans.  The locals have yet to comment on the article but there will be some choice words if they do.

adt1982

Quote from: kharvey10 on September 16, 2011, 08:49:25 PM
Quote from: Brandon on December 03, 2009, 11:15:45 AM
Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge.  Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?

And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
The IL  3 interchange looks like a piece of junk now they're in process of partially rebuilding it.  They rebuilt the WB to NB ramp and its a pain in the ass to use it.  The locals are going to be pissed when they see the end result of that.  I haven't been able to get pics yet due to some other priorities that popped up.

I drove that ramp yesterday for the first time since it was redone.  I agree that it's a mess.

And KSDK just put on facebook that there's a wreck and all eastbound lanes on Chain of Rocks are closed.  I'm glad I didn't wait until today to go down there.

kharvey10

Quote from: adt1982 on January 16, 2012, 02:34:57 PM

I drove that ramp yesterday for the first time since it was redone.  I agree that it's a mess.

And KSDK just put on facebook that there's a wreck and all eastbound lanes on Chain of Rocks are closed.  I'm glad I didn't wait until today to go down there.
It was the only third such wreck that shut the bridge down in the past 5 weeks.  That section of 270 is very dangerous - so much that IDiOT doesn't want to talk about it and kept as much of the canal bridge project a secret to the public as they did.  Since they finally pasted that project page on their website less than two weeks ago, wrecks have caused multiple lanes of the river bridge to shut down at least two occasions - and its only 2 lanes in each direction on top of it w/no shoulders.  KSDK facebook post about the latest wreck were loaded with comments I don't want to even mention here.

InterstateNG

Facebook and news websites are well-known for their rational, enlightened discussions, particulary when it comes to roads.
I demand an apology.

kharvey10

IDiOT is at it again, with peak hour lane closures for repairs to the current canal bridges and just for good measures river bridge lane closures stretching into peak hour - all this since October began.

http://www.kmov.com/news/local/I-270-traffic-nightmare-for-morning-commuters--172636631.html
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/Construction-on-Chain-of-Rocks-Canal-Bridge-may-cause-traffic-headaches-173067001.html

One of the facebook comments made by someone stated "IDOT needs to be renamed to IDIOT".



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