Illinois 150 in Chester closing Monday for bridge demolition

CHESTER – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that Illinois 150 in Chester will close Monday, Sept. 28, to accommodate the scheduled demolition of the old Chester Bridge connecting Chester, Ill., and Perryville, Mo., over the Mississippi River.

The closure is necessary to establish a safe area for the controlled demolition. The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced that the demolition is scheduled for approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday, weather permitting.

Roads within a 1,000-foot perimeter of the bridge will close before the demolition. They are expected to remain closed for approximately 15 minutes while the demolition takes place and the area is cleared.

The Don Welge Memorial Bridge will close approximately 15 minutes before the demolition and is expected to reopen approximately 15 minutes afterward.

If you are traveling in Chester, plan ahead, allow extra time and follow posted signs and directions from law enforcement and traffic control personnel.

For additional details about the demolition, including the anticipated schedule and safety information, visit the MoDOT’s Don Welge Memorial Bridge project webpage at www.modot.org/DonWelge. For local traffic control and detour information in Chester, the public should follow information provided by the city via its website: www.chesterill.com

Built in 1942, the old bridge was replaced this summer with a new $307.1 million modernized structure made possible through a partnership between Missouri and Illinois, with IDOT investing approximately $143.2 million in the bridge and the Illinois approach through Gov. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program.

For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com. ​

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