Moline for work
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AS someone else said, that is Centennial Bridge and it is no longer a toll either.
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Centennial Bridge (US 67)
I-74 Bridge
I l lived there for ~30 years. I probably know what I'm talking about.
And, for the record, the Centennial Bridge opened in 1940, which means it's 5 years newer than the north span of the I-74 Bridge (opened in 1935), but 20 years older than the south span (opened in 1959)
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If you guys are saying that the highway 67 bridge is the crappy one...apparently that stretch of the Mississippi River has the two worst bridges in the whole river, because the 74 bridge, now that I look closer on the maps, is the crappy one I'm thinking of.
Try 3 of the worst 5 bridges, because both I-74 and Centennial Bridges suck. Neither were designed to support the traffic that they handle on a daily basis, although, in that regard, the Centennial Bridge isn't quite as bad as the I-74 Bridge. The other suck bridge is the Arsenal Bridge, considering you are driving on grates and the bridge shuts down every time a barge passes through Lock and Dam 15.
The only two decent bridges are the I-80 and I-280 Bridges, but you have to go way the hell out of your way to use either of them as they make up the unofficial beltway.
OK, but then, as my post below....the frickin' 74 bridge should have been have replaced a long time ago as well....and the east/west flow there threw me too...I was taking:
The references to "north span" and "south span" to mean the two separate bridges of the I-74 bridge, I didn't take north and south as one side of the river and the other side of the river.
"North" and "South" mean "northbound" and "southbound", respectively. But they are referred to as "North Span" and "South Span". And while the Mississippi River passes through the Quad Cities "east-west", the orientation of the North span would be North if the Mississippi had a "north-south" flow.
Also, it would be confusing as hell to call the original bridge the "East" span when that span carries I-74 West.
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The new bridge is definitely happening; construction in earnest starting in Fall 2017. There are a million reasons to not live on the Illinois side, but if you are single, renting, and working in Moline, by all means look at Moline to live. It amazes me how many put up with the bridge hassles every day just to get to work.
Actually, the only hassle free bridge is the 280 bridge, located where basically nobody lives or works. The 80 bridge is no picnic. In fact, it was in serious, dangerous shape just a couple years ago when IaDOT found some serious cracks in the cantilevered support beams. Yes so bad that IaDOT officials told me in a meeting with white faces, "in danger of failure". Fixed now but my suggestion is to always cross that bridge in the inside lane.
Actually, the only hassle free bridge is the 280 bridge, located where basically nobody lives or works. The 80 bridge is no picnic. In fact, it was in serious, dangerous shape just a couple years ago when IaDOT found some serious cracks in the cantilevered support beams. Yes so bad that IaDOT officials told me in a meeting with white faces, "in danger of failure". Fixed now but my suggestion is to always cross that bridge in the inside lane.
Plenty of new apartments and nice places to live being built in Bettendorf, but crossing the bridges every day would suck. (this is all relative of course. compared to traffic in a large metro, it's still cake)
Never been on the 67 bridge but I-74 is actually scary to drive on. The story earlier in here about walking the dog didn't sound like the same bridge, because I-74 is so narrow to pack all the lanes on there that you are about 6 inches from the cars in the other lane.
Not to mention the drivers are all ignoring the 50 MPH limit and going 65+ on a bridge that looks like it's ready to take the plunge into the river at any moment. When former Sec. of Transportation LaHood was there a few years ago he called it one of the worst bridges in America... I think he would have a pretty good sense of those things.
As a kid I would walk across the 74 bridge to collect beer cans in Moline. This was before it was converted to an interstate bridge in the early 1970's. . . don't tell Mom.
The 67 bridge is a nice walk or run. Tough on a bike because of the steel arches cut into the sidewalk.
The government bridge is fun too, although many get freaked out because the grates let you see right down to the water.
Well I retract my sarcastic view on that bridge never happening. I do remember it being discussed back in the early 2000s and then nothing came of it. I used to get more info on those projects but haven't been around it for quite awhile.
The bridge never really bothered me though, having grown up driving it. Now when I go back its amazing how bad it really is.
So basically OP, you now have an extensive knowledge of the QCA bridges that women will be falling over themselves to hear all about at the bars you have yet to learn anything about
I worked on some very preliminary alignments in the early 80's. At that time it was envisioned just upstream from the Government bridge. Planning in earnest really started in the 90's. A $1.4B project doesn't get built overnight. With over $150M spent to date and the vast majority funded, it is going to happen.
Taxpayers are actually going to save money by seeing it built in 3.5 years instead of the original plan of 5 years. That is at a cost of major headaches during construction. Back to original question, anybody considering a new job in the QC should try to live on the side of the River you are going to be working in. Rock Island is a bit of a pit, but you can get a hell of a house for $150K.
In 1966 (yep.) as a summer training student with John Deere in Ankeny, our group spent two weeks at the new Deere HDQTRS in Moline. Don't remember much. Some of us went to Chicago for the weekend.
I like bridges and all, don't get me wrong. Sounds like A loft in Moline is the way to go. My housing is paid for which is wicked nice.
Surprised you came to that conclusion, thought that staying freaking CALIFORNIA would have been the final answer.
I live in the Quad Cities as well and would recommend downtown Moline for the type of living you're looking for. In addition to the lofts that were mentioned, I have several friends that have lived in apartments that are actually located above a couple of the bars down there. I don't know what they're called, but one was above the Bier Stube and one is above Barrel House. Both nice apartments in a good location. The only issue the one friend had that lived above Bier Stube was on Kareoke night.
No, probably the Government Bridge, which is next up stream from the Centennial. It has walkways on both sides. No pedestrians allowed on I-74 Bridge either span.
