Ask MRN: IDOT official addresses complaints about bumpy ride across Memorial Bridge

Dear MRN: You should do an article how they paid 7 million dollars to renovate the Memorial Bridge. It’s worse than it ever was. Been on gravel roads that were smoother than that.

Closed since April 22, the Quincy Memorial Bridge (U.S. 24) reopened to two lanes of eastbound traffic on Tuesday.

It opened to less-than-rave reviews. The following are comments from readers posted on the Muddy River News Facebook page:

“For all the money they’ve spent maintaining this albatross, they could have built a new one by now.”

“So we have to drive on this job until next spring?”

“Scared the hell out of me when I first got on it.”

“I was yelling at the top of my lungs all the way across, ‘You have GOT to be kidding me!’”

“I’m sure IDOT will fix it with a sign that says ‘Rough Road Ahead.’”

“Please find out who is responsible for this.”

The $7.25 million project consisted of resurfacing the bridge deck, joint replacements and repairs, painting, structural steel repairs and lighting replacement. 

The closing of the bridge was delayed for three weeks in April, but the bridge was re-opened Dec. 1 as scheduled. While the road surface is smooth, It appears the joints linking each concrete section weren’t sealed, so there’s a pretty hard bump every few feet.

Paul Wappel, public information officer for the Illinois Department of Transportation, says the bridge is structurally sound and safe.

“We are aware that questions have been asked about the ride quality,” he said in an email response asking about the condition of the road.

“IDOT recognized this issue but determined the importance of keeping the structure open during the winter months outweighed keeping the bridge closed during that time period. Work on the structure will resume in the spring, which includes structural steel repairs, painting and addressing the ride quality.”

The eventual demolition of the Quincy Memorial Bridge and construction of a new bridge on York Street has been discussed as part of the Quincy Riverfront Master Plan. IDOT is reviewing long-term plans for the replacement of the bridge that was built in 1930.