Crews prepare for I-74 bridge demolition between Illinois, Iowa

BETTENDORF, Iowa — A bridge over the Mississippi River that connects Illinois and Iowa is set to be demolished Sunday.

Crews will use controlled explosives to take down the Illinois side of the Interstate 74 bridge, KWQC reported.

The bridge has been out of use for several years, and a new bridge was built in 2020.

Sunday’s demolition is one of the final and most significant stages of the removal process.

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“We started by removing parts of the deck. The concrete deck was removed, was processed into aggregate to be used for other projects, the steel has been removed one piece at a time,” said Ahmad Abu Afifeh, with the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Quite a bit of science behind it.”

Pieces from the bridge will be recycled or donated to a local museum.

The main navigation channel of the river will be closed for 24 hours, and surrounding areas will be closed for 72 to give time for cleanup.

“A lot of contractors, a lot of equipment, first responders, a lot of preparation is happening within this area. So my suggestion or recommendation is to stay away from this area,” Afifeh said.