Don Welge Memorial Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°54′10″N89°50′15″W / 37.90287°N 89.83748°W |
| Carries | 2 lanes of  Route 51/ IL 150 (planned) |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois |
| Official name | Don Welge Memorial Bridge |
| Other name(s) | New Chester Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| History | |
| Construction start | 2023 |
| Construction end | 2026 (planned) |
| Construction cost | $284 million (2023 estimate) |
| Replaces | Chester Bridge |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | None |
| Location | |
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The Don Welge Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge currently under construction across Mississippi River, which will connect Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois using Missouri's Route 51 and Illinois's Route 150. [1] It is planned to be the successor to the current Chester Bridge, which was built in 1942 and reconstructed in 1946 after a severe thunderstorm destroyed the main span.
The bridge is named after Don Welge, a former Chester resident and longtime advocate for a new bridge for the last 15 years of his life until his death in 2020. [2] [3] The first plans for a new bridge were developed in March 2018, [4] and construction began in September 2023. [5] [6]
