Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge

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Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge
Approaching the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge from the south.
Official name	Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge
Carries	Four lanes of U.S. 51/I-39
Crosses	Illinois River, IL 351, Illinois and Michigan Canal ,CSX Railroad, and the former Illinois Central Railroad mainline.
Locale	La Salle, Illinois and Oglesby, Illinois
Maintained by	Illinois Department of Transportation
ID number	000050019120847
Design	Tied arch
Longest span	619.9 feet (189 m)^[1]
Total length	2,170.8 metres (7,122.0 ft)^[2]
Width	4 traffic lanes, 82 ft (25 m)^[1]
Vertical clearance	19.3 feet (5.88 m)^[1]
Opening date	1987
Coordinates	41°19′29″N, 089°04′37″W

The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge can also refer to the now-demolished Blair Bridge in Nebraska. There is also a Lincoln Memorial Bridge in Vincennes, Indiana.

The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge in Illinois is a four-lane bidirectional road bridge that spans the Illinois River, Illinois Route 351, Illinois and Michigan Canal, and numerous local roads, lakes, and railroads. It carries Interstate 39, a major north-south Interstate through central Illinois, and its U.S. Route counterpart, U.S. Route 51.

The bridge connects the cities of La Salle and Oglesby, and (like the Mississippi River) maintains an elevation of about 60 feet (18 m) above the Illinois River Valley for its 2 mile (3 km) length. The main span is 619 ft (189 m) long, with approaches in excess of a mile and a half (2½ km). It is the longest arch bridge in Illinois.^[1]

[edit] History

The bridge was built in 1987 when Interstate 39 was first extended south to what is now Illinois Route 251. The highway itself has since been extended all the way to Bloomington.