Cairo Mississippi River Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 36°58′43″N 89°08′52″W / 36.97861°N 89.14778°W |
| Carries | 2 lanes of   US 60 / US 62 |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Bird's Point, Missouri and Cairo, Illinois |
| Maintained by | Illinois Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cantilever bridge |
| Total length | 5,175 feet (1,577 m) |
| Width | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Longest span | 701 feet (214 m) |
| Clearance below | 114 feet (35 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Location | |
 | |
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 and a river depth of 279 feet (85 meters).[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]
- ^ a b "US-60/US-62 Mississippi River Crossing At Cairo". JohnWeeks.com. Retrieved 2016-03-27.
- ^ 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]
- ^ "Cairo Mississippi River Bridge". BridgeHunter.com. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Cairo, Illinois history, part 2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Cairo, Illinois history, part 3was invoked but never defined (see the help page).