The work will be carried out by the Ames Team, which is made up of Ames Construction and Parsons Transportation Group.
The bridge connects the cities of Perryville in Missouri and Chester in Illinois. “This major river bridge is vital to agricultural traffic, area industries and travellers,” said Missouri Department of Transportation project director Brian Okenfuss. “While the current bridge is safe, it is in poor condition. The new Chester Bridge will reduce the number of flood-related closures and better serve today’s traffic.
“Reviewing proposals from potential design-build teams was a rigorous process, as all the teams under consideration have previously delivered great projects,” Okenfuss said.
The proposal from The Ames Team was deemed to be of the apparent best value to taxpayers based on the project goals. The team will construct a three-tower, cable-stayed bridge, and completion is anticipated by the end of 2026. It will be built upstream from the existing structure and will be twice as wide. The new bridge will cost approximately US$284 million to complete.
The current truss bridge was originally constructed in 1942. Approximately 7,000 vehicles use the bridge daily. Traffic will continue to use the existing structure during construction of the new Chester Bridge.
