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The Iowa Department of Transportation is sharing this picture (below) of the new I-74 bridge construction project over the Mississippi River, connecting Iowa and Illinois.
A 2016 study found traffic on the I-74 bridges across the Mississippi River exceeded a 74,000 average daily traffic count. It's estimated that traffic volumes will rise to approximately 99,900 vehicles per day by 2035.
Construction began in July 2017 and is expected to take place over 3 1/2 years. The new bridge will be more than twice as wide as the existing bridge, providing four lanes in each direction.
Crews are also building a multi-use path on the bridge, connecting Bettendorf, Iowa and Moline, Illinois.
Between Middle Road in Bettendorf and Avenue of the Cities in Moline, I-74 will be expanded to three lanes in each direction with additional lanes at select locations.