Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Keokuk-Hamilton bridge is a steel girder, 4-lane bridge from Keokuk, Iowa
to Hamilton, Illinois
. It carries U.S. Route 136
across the Mississippi River
.
The Keokuk–Hamilton Bridge was built in 1985, taking over automobile traffic from the Keokuk Rail Bridge
(though the latter bridge still carries rail traffic).
During the Great Flood of 1993
, the rising Mississippi temporarily made the Keokuk–Hamilton Bridge inaccessible from the Illinois side of the river; later, gravel was layered over the threatened section of U.S. 136 to raise its level and keep the road and bridge accessible for the remaining flood period. More recently, during the 2008 Midwest floods
, the Illinois access was again threatened, but this time gravel was applied and the road level raised before it was rendered completely impassable; only temporary closings were required to allow road workers to complete the job. IDOT,(Illinois Department of Transportation), and WL Miller Co., a large concrete, quarry and asphalt company, put over 26,000 tons of rock on the eastbound lanes. The bridge approach was lifted about 4–6 feet in some areas. During the cleanup, some of the fairly new road was damaged, and IDOT is considering repaving the eastbound lanes from the bridge to Pats Pit Stop.
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
to Hamilton, Illinois
Hamilton, Illinois
Hamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,029 at the 2000 census. The city is located directly across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County.-About Hamilton:...
. It carries U.S. Route 136
U.S. Route 136
U.S. Highway 136 is a spur of U.S. Highway 36. It runs from Edison, Nebraska, at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34 to the Interstate 74/Interstate 465 interchange in Speedway, Indiana. This is a distance of 804 miles .-Nebraska:...
across 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...
.
The Keokuk–Hamilton Bridge was built in 1985, taking over automobile traffic from the Keokuk Rail Bridge
Keokuk Rail Bridge
The Keokuk Bridge, also known as the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge, carries a double deck single track railway and highway bridge across the Mississippi River in the USA between Keokuk, Iowa and Hamilton, Illinois, just downstream of Mississippi Lock and Dam number 19...
(though the latter bridge still carries rail traffic).
During the Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, the rising Mississippi temporarily made the Keokuk–Hamilton Bridge inaccessible from the Illinois side of the river; later, gravel was layered over the threatened section of U.S. 136 to raise its level and keep the road and bridge accessible for the remaining flood period. More recently, during the 2008 Midwest floods
June 2008 Midwest floods
The June 2008 Midwestern United States floods were flooding events which affected portions of the Midwest United States. After months of heavy precipitation, a number of rivers overflowed their banks for several weeks at a time and broke through levees at numerous locations. Flooding continued...
, the Illinois access was again threatened, but this time gravel was applied and the road level raised before it was rendered completely impassable; only temporary closings were required to allow road workers to complete the job. IDOT,(Illinois Department of Transportation), and WL Miller Co., a large concrete, quarry and asphalt company, put over 26,000 tons of rock on the eastbound lanes. The bridge approach was lifted about 4–6 feet in some areas. During the cleanup, some of the fairly new road was damaged, and IDOT is considering repaving the eastbound lanes from the bridge to Pats Pit Stop.