New I-74 bridge will be a boon for bicycles

Mon August 13 2007
Posted Aug 13, 2007
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By Michael Romkey, Staff writer The first bridge across the Mississippi was built in 1855, but 152 years later it’s still difficult to get back and forth between Bettendorf and Moline if you’re pedaling a bicycle. That’s all going to change. The new Interstate 74 bridge will include an attached bike-and-pedestrian trail. Though it will be a few years before construction begins, when all is said and done bicycle riders will finally have a way to cross Big Muddy in that part of town. Iowa’s Most Exciting City and Moline recently inked a memorandum of agreement setting in motion planning for access to bridge bike trail from each side of the river. “The memorandum outlines the funding but doesn’t mean the parties have to put money aside yet,” Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn said. The Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation will bear the cost for design and cost of the trans-Mississippi trail. Bettendorf and Moline will be responsible for ramps and access to the bridge. Since bicycles aren’t allowed on the I-74 bridge, biking between Bettendorf and Moline presently requires a detour all the way down to the Government Bridge -- an impractical distance for most commuters. Making bikes a part of the new I-74 bridge also will enhance the Quad-Cities as a destination for cyclists. The existing network of bike trails is continuing to grow, and major national north-south and east-west trails -- American Discovery Trail and the Mississippi Trail crossroads -- are slated to meet here in the nation’s heartland. “The Quad-Cities has already become a destination of sorts for trail-users. This will only enhance that. It will be one of the only interstate bridges in the country to provide trail access like this,” said Steve Grimes, Bettendorf Parks & Recreation director. With gas prices high and more people getting interested in getting a little exercise while cutting down on pollution by riding a bike to work, the path is bound to get plenty of use. It will also promote access and bike trails on either side of the river. “With the price of gas being what it is -– if it goes to $5 or $6 a gallon, I think I’ll be pedaling my bike more,” Mr. Grimes said. The only downs side is it’s not going to happen tomorrow. “We’re looking at least five or 10 years down the road,” Mr. Grimes said