The new Mississippi River Bridge project is crucial for the economic future and quality of life of the St. Louis region. The Poplar Street Bridge, the present main crossing into and out of downtown St. Louis, is overloaded with traffic. It is overloaded, as it is forced to carry the traffic of three interstates, I-55, I-64 and I-70, as well as commuter traffic, into and out of the city. The volumes are too great and the number of ramps too complex.
A new bridge will improve travel time and safety and provide a high-capacity alternative route across the river in case of incidents. Separating I-70 traffic from I-64/I-55 traffic at the river will reduce stressful, unsafe and delaying traffic "weaves" on present approaches and departures from the Poplar Street Bridge. Vehicle miles traveled will be reduced since I-70 through-trips will be more direct and reduced by 3.5 km (2.2 miles). The more northerly location of the new crossing will reduce I-70/I-64 trips by 2.6 km (1.6 miles). Traffic connecting with the St. Louis central business district will be better distributed with approaches to the north as well as to the south.
Modeling shows that, without the increased capacity provided by the new I-70 bridge, the hours of congestion could double from 1.5 to 3 hours per day; average delays, now about ten minutes per trip, could reach as high as 55 minutes.
With the new bridge, access to the bridges will be improved and traffic siphoned away from the most congested parts of the interstate system. Improved connections from East St Louis to the Missouri side of the river will enhance economic opportunities on both sides. Opportunities for jobs, business, education and recreation will be enhanced by the enlarged area accessible in reasonable trip times. By contrast, if the bridge remains unbuilt, jobs and businesses will continue to depart the urban core.
Accident rates on the present Poplar Street Bridge and approaching highways are three times higher than the average on Illinois and Missouri highways. Improvements associated with the new bridge should reduce accidents by 165 a year.
The new Mississippi Bridge project was launched in the 1990s with the understanding that the U.S. government would provide the majority of the funding. We wanted the biggest and the best, and we got it - on paper. It was a plan for a splendid and unique cable-stayed bridge with attractive leaning pylons of enormous height. The bridge had the longest span in the Western Hemisphere and was the widest-decked bridge of its kind. It completely spanned the river with its "feet" comfortably planted on dry land. But the cost grew to $1.6 billion.