Cairo Mississippi River Bridge

Not to be confused with Cairo I-57 Bridge or Cairo Ohio River Bridge.
Cairo Mississippi River Bridge
Coordinates36°58′43″N 89°08′52″W / 36.97861°N 89.14778°W / 36.97861; -89.14778
Carries2 lanes of US 60 / US 62
CrossesMississippi River
LocaleBird's Point, Missouri and Cairo, Illinois
Maintained byIllinois Department of Transportation
Characteristics
DesignCantilever bridge
Total length5,175 feet (1,577 m)
Width20 feet (6.1 m)
Longest span701 feet (214 m)
Clearance below114 feet (35 m)
History
Opened1929
Location
Map

The Cairo Mississippi River Bridge is a steel truss through deck bridge carrying U.S. Route 60 and U.S. Route 62 across the Mississippi River.[1] Located in the tri-state area of Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri, it connects Cairo, Illinois at its northern terminus to Bird's Point, Missouri at its southern terminus. The bridge is currently closed for renovation until October 1, 2024.[2] The bridge measures 5,175.5 feet (1,577.5 meters) in length with a main span of 700.9 feet (213.6 meters) and a width of 20 feet (6.1 meters).[3] At its apex, the bridge stands 114 feet (35 meters) above the river with a 675-foot (206-meter) navigation channel.[1] In the years since the construction of the bridge, the town of Cairo has experienced an 81% population decline (1930 to 2010), the most dramatic decrease of any principal city in the United States.[4] The bridges initially played a part in the town's demise as the ferry and railroad industries were severely impacted.[5]

  1. ^ a b "US-60/US-62 Mississippi River Crossing At Cairo". JohnWeeks.com. Retrieved 2016-03-27.
  2. ^ https://idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idot/documents/about-idot/news/construction-releases/2023/9-september/US%2060%2062%20Bridge%20Closure.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "Cairo Mississippi River Bridge". BridgeHunter.com. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cairo, Illinois history, part 2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cairo, Illinois history, part 3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).