Like the new $1.2-billion I-74 bridge, a new $237-million Centennial Bridge is recommended to be built right next to the existing one, and the iconic 1940 span between Davenport and Rock Island would be demolished once the new bridge is done, around 2036.
Representatives of the Illinois and Iowa transportation departments met Wednesday at the Rock Island Holiday Inn for a media briefing on the preferred alternative and hosted a three-hour open house on the project plans.
The two states (which will share all costs 50/50, like the 74 bridge project) launched the U.S. 67 (Centennial Bridge) Corridor Project to evaluate long-term transportation solutions for the corridor connecting Rock Island and Davenport. The study limits extend from Fifth Street in Davenport to Seventh Avenue in Rock Island.
The project is currently in Phase I, which follows federal guidelines to assess transportation needs, evaluate alternatives, identify and mitigate potential environmental impacts, and gather public input. The Phase I study is expected to conclude in the summer of 2027, and construction could not begin until completion of a new I-80 bridge crossing the Mississippi River, expected to take place between 2028 and 2032, DOT officials said Wednesday.
“The Centennial Bridge was built in 1940. It is reaching the end of its useful life,” said Mike Kuehn, Illinois DOT program development engineer. “It's had frequent repairs that are needed for the project. We've done yearly maintenance and inspections on it. And we do have a large corridor that has deficiencies with transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian accommodations that we're trying to address with this project.”
The project leaders originally considered a no-build alternative, meaning the existing bridge would be maintained and rehabilitated, but that was considered not feasible compared to two alternatives for replacement – one a new bridge just west of the existing Centennial, and a new one connecting 11th Street in Rock Island to Marquette Street in Davenport.
The one right next to the current bridge is preferred for many factors, including cost ($237 million versus $295 million), fewer impacts on surrounding properties, and less need for land acquisition.
“The final bridge type, aesthetics, and roadway details, and construction plans still need to be developed,” Kuehn said, as examples of potential bridge designs were presented at the Wednesday open house. None of the four examples included the arched design that Centennial Bridge has.
While there has been some public support for keeping the current bridge (including from former Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert), Kuehn explained why that option was scrapped.
“With the bridge rehabilitation, the big limitation on this is, again, this is an 85-year-old bridge. There's only so much that can be done with that bridge structure,” he said. “There is a width restriction out there. We can't make the bridge significantly wider out there with those arches the way they are.
"Again, 85-year-old structure. There is only so much we can do to rehab it and bring it up to current standards on it. That includes limitations on the multi-use path, limitations again with the width of the lanes. Wouldn't be able to add shoulders out there, and that sort of thing, to help reduce traffic safety concerns.
“Additionally, it does not give a long-term solution for the life of the bridge,” Kuehn said, noting a new bridge would have first-time shoulders of eight feet wide on both sides of the two lanes in each direction, and a multi-use path at least 12 feet wide on the bridge’s east side (the current walk/bike path is just four feet wide).
“We could get some years out of this, but it would be limited. A new bridge structure would give us at least another 80 to 100 years of service life out there. One thing that's not on this slide is the fact that both Iowa and Illinois are currently committed to putting funds toward a bridge reconstruction at this time.”
Phil Mescher, the project lead for the Iowa DOT, said Wednesday that public feedback has been integral in this process.
Though they have a recommended option, the study and environmental review are not quite yet complete, he said. “Its potential impacts will continue to be evaluated as time goes on. and addressed some of the details that as they come, as they are refined. The Centennial Bridge is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and historic resources are being considered through the Section 106 and Section 4F review process and that's part of the National Environmental Policy Act.
“Remaining design considerations include potential impacts around courthouse monuments and historical buildings, as well as railroad properties, nearby parking areas, and the construction period access,” Mescher said.
“There has been no final decision on what the bridge type will look like. We do have an aesthetics focus group that has been put together, and they involve representatives from Davenport and Rock Island communities and members— other members of the community and local artists that will help identify design priorities as we continue to work through the bridge design process,” he said.
“So we encourage people to attend today's open house, ask questions, tell us what matters to you most about the local roads, the intersection connections, pedestrian and bicycle access, and the future bridge itself, of course. I do want to highlight that comments received by November 4th, 2026 will be included in the official public meeting record.”
You can comment and find out more at www.centennialbridge.com.
Maintaining current bridge
Both DOTs are committed to keeping the bridge safe, functional and working until the bridge needs to be demolished after the completion of the new bridge, Kuehn said.
“That includes yearly inspections, any sort of deficiencies that require work to be done would be done. We're expecting that somewhere in here we'll have to do some repairs on it,” he said. “There has been questions about painting the bridge. That is not in the scope. You know, that's an aesthetic issue. At this point in time, we wouldn't be doing that.”
The Centennial (in 2017, it was officially renamed as the Master Sgt. Stanley Talbot Memorial Bridge) is the most traveled structurally deficient bridge in Iowa – according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association – with 26,500 average daily crossings.
The E2 bridge replacement alternative (building just west of the bridge) was favored by the public than E7 (farther west), Kuehn noted, and far greater than a no-build option.
“That did take into consideration when we looked at this. Again, the impacts to the properties also was a major factor on it. We do want to try and minimize the impacts to adjacent properties and the natural environment,” Kuehn said. “When we have an alternative that really has minimal versus multiple residential impacts, that was also a major factor.”
“There was a lot of desire for bike and ped accommodations. Obviously, the existing Centennial Bridge, it's a little tight to try and get out there and try and ride a bike out there,” he said of the narrow multi-use path. “There's not connectivity on the whole one side of it when it comes to pedestrian traffic on it. There's a lot of concern with safety on it, a lot of concern on, both as you're getting on and speeds as you're crossing the bridge. And realistically, having that lack of forgiveness without any kind of shoulders out there.”
They also received a lot of feedback to keep the same arched design in a new bridge.
“Now, the one thing that we looked at was trying to keep something similar with multiple arches,” Kuehn said. “What we found was there wasn't a structural reason to do so. You know, it would have been an aesthetic aspect only, and it would have increased the price of the bridge and the cost of the bridge by a significant amount, by tens of millions.”
The new aesthetics focus group on the bridge will start meeting in November.
“We're trying to push this along in a timely manner. But, at the same time, we're still trying to analyze what the preferred alternative for the bridge would be, as well,” Kuehn said. “So, that's going to be happening over the coming months. In '27, we will be doing a public hearing, as noted, preferably earlier than later. But we are trying to progress this along in a swift, yet diligent manner.”
The DOTs will spend about $2 million a year to maintain and repair the old bridge.
“Depending on what we find in the bridge in our annual inspection, that's what's going to determine the price of those repairs,” Kuehn said. “We do need that bridge functional and for the next decade, essentially, until this bridge is completed. And decade, I'm saying roughly here. But we need it functional and open to traffic until the new bridge is completed. So it's of high priority to keep that open, keep it safe for all the traveling public.”
Public thoughts on bridge’s future
Scott Newberg, former mayor of Hampton, attended the Wednesday open house, lamenting a probable demolition of the Centennial, on top of the nearby tearing down of the 126-year-old former Rock Island County Courthouse in spring of 2023.
“We had a historic courthouse. They tore that down. And this bridge, I just think, would be better to be kept,” he said. “You look at the Government Bridge—that's over 100 years old. We're not going to get rid of that one. Of course, that's the government anyway. I guess they can do what they want.”
Mark Schwiebert, in a Sept. 30, 2026 guest newspaper column, wrote that the public needs to be heard “to prevent this historic iconic landmark from being permanently lost to our community. Such reasonable objections can better assure that this landmark will be preserved and enhanced, at considerable taxpayer savings.
“Likewise, and in the meantime, the Cities of Rock Island and Davenport should insist on the DOTs addressing measures to properly maintain the Centennial Bridge structure in keeping with their 2005 contract with the City of Rock Island. This includes painting the Bridge to preserve both its structure and appearance as a gateway to Rock Island and Davenport,” he wrote. “Iconic landmarks are critical to our region’s identity.
"When, as here, they are also historic and of proven reliability, the arguments for their preservation becomes compelling.”
Neil Dahlstrom, branded properties and heritage manager for John Deere, was another of many people attending Wednesday’s open house and he sees merit to both sides of the issue – preserving the past and building the future.
“At the stage of exploring all options, I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other,” he said. “When it comes down to it, safety is the most important factor. I'd always prefer to see the current bridge stay in place.”
“You want to support population growth. I'd love to be able to safely walk over the bridge. It's one of my favorite features of the new 74 Bridge,” Dahlstrom said. “We walk from Moline and we walk over and go to a brewery or walk down to a restaurant or something. That's where we take out-of-town visitors. We go to the Oculus and we look down. That's what I was telling them. I think aesthetically, maybe there's some way we can kind of replicate it and expand on it and add lighting and make it even more of a tourism draw for us.”
“I'd love to see the Centennial Bridge stay, but it may also be time to expand and grow,” he added, noting it’s exciting to live in a time when three QC bridges are being replaced. “And what a cool opportunity to do something from scratch and kind of leave a legacy that way too.”
“I'm on the fence of all of it. I'm here like everybody else to just kind of figure out what's going on and learn a little bit,” Dahlstrom said, adding emergency responders need a shoulder on bridges to access accidents. “Try not to jump to any judgments or conclusions.”
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