The new Don Welge Memorial Bridge has opened to traffic between Perryville, Missouri, and Chester, Illinois, replacing the former Chester Bridge across the Mississippi River. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on July 11, and the bridge opened to one lane of traffic on July 13. Transportation officials expect the bridge to open fully later this month.
The project involved the construction of a three-tower cable-stayed bridge carrying Missouri Route 51 and Illinois Route 150. The new structure is approximately twice as wide as the previous bridge and includes two 12-foot travel lanes and two 10-foot shoulders. The project also reduces the number of piers in the Mississippi River and raises the roadway profile to reduce flood-related closures.
The bridge represents a combined investment of approximately $307.1 million by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). MoDOT delivered the project using the design-build method. The Ames Team, a joint venture of Ames Construction Inc. and Parsons Transportation Group, designed and constructed the bridge after being awarded the contract in 2023.
The new crossing will improve safety, increase reliability, and enhance freight and passenger travel between southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois. It also provides a long-term replacement for the aging Chester Bridge while improving regional connectivity across the Mississippi River.