Question 1

What is the US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project?

Accepted Answer

Initiated by the Illinois Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Transportation and under the jurisdiction of the Federal Highway Administration, the US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project is an early-stage transportation study. The study brings communities together to examine environmental, community and economic factors tied to the area’s transportation network and identify potential improvements.

Question 2

Why is the US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project being studied?

Accepted Answer

The 85-year-old bridge needs frequent, costly maintenance. The study will explore the best solution for the addressing the future of the US 67 Corridor including an improved river crossing.

Question 3

How do you know what transportation improvement options are needed?

Accepted Answer

There will be a number of factors involved in determining need. These factors could include, but are not limited to:

Mobility (congestion, service levels, travel times, travel speeds, reliability, etc.) 
Accessibility (access to jobs, activity centers, inter-modal facilities, etc.) 
System Connectivity (regional facilities, through trips, etc.) 
Safety (crashes, consistency with current highway design standards, etc.)

Question 4

How does the study process work?

Accepted Answer

The US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project will advance under guidelines of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is federal law that ensures projects consider their impacts to the natural, social and built environments. The purpose of NEPA is to ensure that environmental factors are weighed equally when compared to other factors in the decision-making process. For Federal Funding Eligibility, NEPA compliance is required.

Phases of projects:

Phase I (Planning): Preliminary Engineering & Environmental Studies—WE ARE HERE
Phase II (Design): Final Design & Contract Plan Preparation
Phase III: Construction

Question 5

What is the status of the project?

Accepted Answer

The US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project is in NEPA Phase I: Preliminary Engineering & Environmental Studies. This phase includes: data collection, identification of transportation issues and concerns, development of alternatives, identification and development of the preferred alternative, and a final report.

Currently, the project team is gathering data and examining existing conditions. With stakeholder input, a project purpose and need will be developed to guide the development of proposed improvements. The next step is to then seek public input to gather community experiences, insights, concerns, and needs. Once established, the purpose and need will serve as a foundation to identify, evaluate and narrow potential improvement alternatives for public review.

Phase I will conclude with a final improvement plan (Preferred Alternative) submitted to the federal government for review and approval to move into the design phase of the project (Phase II).

Question 6

How many people travel on the Centennial Bridge per day?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 22,400 vehicles cross the Centennial Bridge daily.

Question 7

How can I get involved?

Accepted Answer

We want to hear from you! There are many ways to stay in the loop and share your thoughts. From public meetings to project news sent straight to your inbox, discover ways to get involved on our Get Involved tab. Your input will help shape the future of the US 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project!

Question 8

How will bike/pedestrian accommodations be addressed with any future bridge improvements?

Accepted Answer

We recognize that the Centennial Bridge serves as an important bicycle and pedestrian crossing. Proposed alternatives incorporate facilities specifically designed for bicycles and pedestrians. The specific design accommodations will be determined as alternatives are developed and evaluated. If the Preferred Alternative includes construction of a new bridge, the bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be constructed to current IDOT standards.

Question 9

How are the alternatives being developed and evaluated?

Accepted Answer

The range of reasonable alternatives represent different ways to address safety, structural needs, travel patterns, and community priorities along the corridor. These alternatives are being evaluated using consistent criteria, including bridge design, walking and biking access, environmental impacts, community and historic resources, construction impacts and traffic effects, economic reasonableness, and public input. No Preferred Alternative has been selected at this time.

Question 10

If the Preferred Alternative is to build a new bridge, what will the new bridge look like? Will a new bridge be similar to the existing Centennial Bridge with it’s iconic arches?

Accepted Answer

A Preferred Alternative has not been selected at this time.  If the Preferred Alternative is to build a new bridge, a bridge type study will be conducted to determine the specific style. In addition, there will be an Aesthetics Focus Group implemented to help provide input on aesthetics for the corridor.

Question 11

How are the impacts to traffic patterns both during and after construction being addressed?

Accepted Answer

Alternatives will be evaluated to assess potential traffic operational effects both during construction and under future conditions, post construction. This will include identifying and analyzing traffic pattern shifts and connections to the local roadway network to determine if improvements to local streets will be warranted.

Question 12

Speeding is a safety concern traveling over the US-67 Centennial Bridge. How is this being addressed as the alternatives are being developed?

Accepted Answer

As the project progresses, design alternatives will be investigated which may encourage operational speeds more in line with the posted speed limits with the aim of improving overall safety performance through the corridor.

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