Interstate 74 in Iowa
Encyclopedia
Interstate 74 is the central freeway through the Iowa Quad Cities
. It roughly divides Davenport
to the west and Bettendorf
to the east. The Interstate Highway begins at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) at the northeastern edge of Davenport and continues
into Illinois
at the Mississippi River
by crossing the I-74 Bridge
. The freeway was built in stages during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The northern half of the interstate was built atop farmland in northeastern Davenport, while the southern half was built near the existing U.S. Route 6 (US 6) corridor through Bettendorf. After the approaches to the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge were rebuilt for interstate traffic, it was completed and opened to traffic on November 26, 1974.
The Iowa
and Illinois
departments of transportation are planning a major reconstruction project along I-74. The 7 miles (11.3 km) corridor will be widened from four lanes to six. A new river crossing will be built to replace the aging bridges.
where it heads to the south. From I-80 to the East 67th Street overpass, the freeway is surrounded by farmland on either side. South of the overpass, it passes a residential area to the east and a commercial area to the west. The East 53rd Street exit provides access to shopping centers on both sides of the interstate.
Continuing south between East 53rd Street and Spruce Hills Drive, I-74 goes through an area of sparse development. What businesses there are have frontages on either Elmore Avenue to the west or Utica Ridge Road to the east; the backs of these businesses abut the freeway. At the Spruce Hills Drive exit, U.S. Route 6 (US 6) joins from the west. Nearly 1/3 mi to the west, Spruce Hills Drive becomes Kimberly Road, which carries US 6 through Davenport until it intersects I-280 on the western edge of the Quad Cities.
South of Spruce Hills Drive, I-74 runs parallel to the eastern leg of Kimberly Road, which turned south at its intersection with Spruce Hills Drive. The freeway curves slightly to the southeast and enters Bettendorf
. It crosses Duck Creek
and meets Middle Road at a diamond interchange
.
As I-74 and US 6 head down a hill towards the Mississippi River
, a series of exit and entrance ramps connect the freeway to US 67, which runs northbound along State Street and southbound along Grant Street. The interstate passes over US 67 and railroad tracks beloning to the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
on an elevated highway, which serves as the approach to the Interstate 74 Bridge over the Mississippi River. Despite the singular name, the crossing is actually two twin bridges which each carry one direction of traffic to and from Moline, Illinois
.
. Its route through the Quad Cities closely resembles the path drawn up in the mid-1950s.
In the Iowa Quad Cities, I-74 opened in three segments beginning on August 30, 1968. On that day, the northernmost 3 miles (4.8 km), from I-80 to US 6, opened to traffic. The new freeway was built atop farmland west of Utica Ridge Road in the northeastern part of Davenport. The next section was built adjacent to the north–south portion of Kimberly Road, which then carried US 6 through Bettendorf. The segment ended where the interstate lined up with the older street. The eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramps at Kimberly Road now provide access to and from US 67. The middle section opened in 1971.
Another three years passed before the freeway was completed and opened to traffic. The twin spans of the I-74 Bridge had to be retrofitted to connect to the interstate. The Iowa-bound bridge was built as a Works Progress Administration
project in 1934–35 and the Illinois-bound bridge was 24 years later. Prior to interstate construction, the I-74 Bridge terminated at State Street, the northbound lanes of US 67, in Bettendorf. To prevent traffic bottlenecks, traffic was prohibited from making left turns onto and off of the bridges. As a result, loop ramps diverted traffic onto Gilbert Street, one block south of State Street, which curved back to State Street at both ends thus allowing traffic to make the necessary left turns.
Construction of the interstate meant eliminating the at-grade intersections with State and Grant streets. I-74 was built as elevated highway from the bridges to a new overpass at Kimberly Road. The connections were completed and opened to traffic on November 26, 1974.
and Illinois
departments of transportation are in the planning stages to build a new bridge to replace the aging I-74 Bridge. The Iowa-bound bridge opened in 1935; the Illinois bridge in 1958. In addition to replacing the bridges, the scope of the bi-state coalition's plan includes updating 7 miles (11.3 km) of I-74 mainline and interchanges from 53rd Street in Davenport to the Avenue of the Cities in Moline.
In 2005, the Iowa and Illinois DOTs identified the traffic needs of the corridor and found they would be satisfied by a true-arch
, tied-arch, or cable-stayed
bridge. After public input and consideration of construction costs and aesthetics, the departments of transportation, in August 2006, recommended building two twin, true arch, basket handle bridges. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk
of Illinois has suggested charging a toll upon motorists who use the new bridges to help pay for their construction. However, a 1998 study, which researched all river crossing options to replace the bridges, deemed new tolls were not viable.
In addition to the new river crossing, the mainline of I-74 between 53rd Street in Davenport and the Avenue of the Cities in Moline will be widened from a four-lane freeway to six lanes. Additional lanes will be picked up and dropped in selected locations. In downtown Bettendorf, the connection to US 67 will be simplified. US 67 traffic will be routed in both directions along Grant Street. State and Grant streets are currently a one-way couplet through Bettendorf. A network of ramps and city streets form the interchange as it is now. A full-access interchange will be built in its place at Grant Street.
Construction along the corridor has already begun at the 53rd Street interchange. A cloverleaf ramp is being added in each direction to allow traffic to enter I-74 without making left turns and 53rd Street at this interchange is being widened from four lanes to six. This phase of construction is scheduled to end by December 2012.
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
. It roughly divides Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
to the west and Bettendorf
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
to the east. The Interstate Highway begins at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) at the northeastern edge of Davenport and continues
Interstate 74 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 74 is a major northwest-southeast Interstate Highway that runs across the northern portion of the state. It runs from the Iowa state line at the Mississippi River southeast to the Indiana state line east of Danville, Illinois. This is a distance of 220.34...
into Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
at the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
by crossing the I-74 Bridge
I-74 Bridge
The Interstate 74 Bridge, originally known as the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge, and often called The Twin Bridges, or the I-74 Bridge, is a pair of suspension bridges that cross the Mississippi River and connect Bettendorf, Iowa and Moline, Illinois. It is located near the geographic center of...
. The freeway was built in stages during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The northern half of the interstate was built atop farmland in northeastern Davenport, while the southern half was built near the existing U.S. Route 6 (US 6) corridor through Bettendorf. After the approaches to the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge were rebuilt for interstate traffic, it was completed and opened to traffic on November 26, 1974.
The Iowa
Iowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
and Illinois
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
departments of transportation are planning a major reconstruction project along I-74. The 7 miles (11.3 km) corridor will be widened from four lanes to six. A new river crossing will be built to replace the aging bridges.
Route description
I-74 begins at a trumpet interchange with I-80 on the northern edge of DavenportDavenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
where it heads to the south. From I-80 to the East 67th Street overpass, the freeway is surrounded by farmland on either side. South of the overpass, it passes a residential area to the east and a commercial area to the west. The East 53rd Street exit provides access to shopping centers on both sides of the interstate.
Continuing south between East 53rd Street and Spruce Hills Drive, I-74 goes through an area of sparse development. What businesses there are have frontages on either Elmore Avenue to the west or Utica Ridge Road to the east; the backs of these businesses abut the freeway. At the Spruce Hills Drive exit, U.S. Route 6 (US 6) joins from the west. Nearly 1/3 mi to the west, Spruce Hills Drive becomes Kimberly Road, which carries US 6 through Davenport until it intersects I-280 on the western edge of the Quad Cities.
South of Spruce Hills Drive, I-74 runs parallel to the eastern leg of Kimberly Road, which turned south at its intersection with Spruce Hills Drive. The freeway curves slightly to the southeast and enters Bettendorf
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
. It crosses Duck Creek
Duck Creek (Quad Cities)
Duck Creek is a creek that runs through the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in the U.S. state of Iowa. The creek begins in the rural areas west of Davenport and it empties into the Mississippi River in southeast Bettendorf. It is the largest creek in the Quad Cities and is mainly used for storm...
and meets Middle Road at a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
.
As I-74 and US 6 head down a hill towards the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, a series of exit and entrance ramps connect the freeway to US 67, which runs northbound along State Street and southbound along Grant Street. The interstate passes over US 67 and railroad tracks beloning to the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad is a Class II railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains of the United States...
on an elevated highway, which serves as the approach to the Interstate 74 Bridge over the Mississippi River. Despite the singular name, the crossing is actually two twin bridges which each carry one direction of traffic to and from Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
.
History
I-74 was part of the original plans for building Iowa's interstate system. It would form the Iowa leg of a planned freeway from the Quad Cities to Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Its route through the Quad Cities closely resembles the path drawn up in the mid-1950s.
In the Iowa Quad Cities, I-74 opened in three segments beginning on August 30, 1968. On that day, the northernmost 3 miles (4.8 km), from I-80 to US 6, opened to traffic. The new freeway was built atop farmland west of Utica Ridge Road in the northeastern part of Davenport. The next section was built adjacent to the north–south portion of Kimberly Road, which then carried US 6 through Bettendorf. The segment ended where the interstate lined up with the older street. The eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramps at Kimberly Road now provide access to and from US 67. The middle section opened in 1971.
Another three years passed before the freeway was completed and opened to traffic. The twin spans of the I-74 Bridge had to be retrofitted to connect to the interstate. The Iowa-bound bridge was built as a Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
project in 1934–35 and the Illinois-bound bridge was 24 years later. Prior to interstate construction, the I-74 Bridge terminated at State Street, the northbound lanes of US 67, in Bettendorf. To prevent traffic bottlenecks, traffic was prohibited from making left turns onto and off of the bridges. As a result, loop ramps diverted traffic onto Gilbert Street, one block south of State Street, which curved back to State Street at both ends thus allowing traffic to make the necessary left turns.
Construction of the interstate meant eliminating the at-grade intersections with State and Grant streets. I-74 was built as elevated highway from the bridges to a new overpass at Kimberly Road. The connections were completed and opened to traffic on November 26, 1974.
Future
The IowaIowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
and Illinois
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
departments of transportation are in the planning stages to build a new bridge to replace the aging I-74 Bridge. The Iowa-bound bridge opened in 1935; the Illinois bridge in 1958. In addition to replacing the bridges, the scope of the bi-state coalition's plan includes updating 7 miles (11.3 km) of I-74 mainline and interchanges from 53rd Street in Davenport to the Avenue of the Cities in Moline.
In 2005, the Iowa and Illinois DOTs identified the traffic needs of the corridor and found they would be satisfied by a true-arch
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
, tied-arch, or cable-stayed
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
bridge. After public input and consideration of construction costs and aesthetics, the departments of transportation, in August 2006, recommended building two twin, true arch, basket handle bridges. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
of Illinois has suggested charging a toll upon motorists who use the new bridges to help pay for their construction. However, a 1998 study, which researched all river crossing options to replace the bridges, deemed new tolls were not viable.
In addition to the new river crossing, the mainline of I-74 between 53rd Street in Davenport and the Avenue of the Cities in Moline will be widened from a four-lane freeway to six lanes. Additional lanes will be picked up and dropped in selected locations. In downtown Bettendorf, the connection to US 67 will be simplified. US 67 traffic will be routed in both directions along Grant Street. State and Grant streets are currently a one-way couplet through Bettendorf. A network of ramps and city streets form the interchange as it is now. A full-access interchange will be built in its place at Grant Street.
Construction along the corridor has already begun at the 53rd Street interchange. A cloverleaf ramp is being added in each direction to allow traffic to enter I-74 without making left turns and 53rd Street at this interchange is being widened from four lanes to six. This phase of construction is scheduled to end by December 2012.