Don Welge Memorial Bridge

Don Welge Memorial Bridge
Coordinates	37°54′10″N89°50′15″W / 37.90287°N 89.83748°W / 37.90287; -89.83748
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)
Location

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]}

See also

• List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

References

1. "Chester Bridge". Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
2. Ruch, Amber (October 27, 2020). "New Chester bridge named after former resident, longtime bridge advocate". KFVS-TV . Retrieved December 23, 2023.
3. "Bill Status of HJR0038". 103rd General Assembly-Illinois. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
4. Ruch, Amber (March 14, 2018). "Environmental study being conducted on the Chester, IL Bridge". KFVS-TV . Retrieved December 23, 2023.
5. "Construction on the Route 51 Mississippi River Bridge Begins in Perry County". Missouri Department of Transportation. September 5, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
6. Mohundro, Mike (September 5, 2023). "Crews start construction work on the new Chester Bridge this week". WSILTV. Retrieved December 23, 2023.