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Local Congressman Pushing for I-74 Bridge
Talks of a new bridge connecting Illinois to Iowa outside the Quad Cities has been just that, all talk-- but one local congressman is hoping a bi-partisan movement will change that.

17th District Congressman Bobby Schilling says construction of a new Interstate-74 bridge could begin as early as next year once funds begin to roll in. But, he says that's been the issue, and the recommended 18-month transportation bill wouldn't cut it.

"We really need a five year and we really need to prioritize and we need to do some really good infrastructure improvements, not just two-inch layovers across the country," Schilling said. "When it comes to the (I-) 74 bridge, it's something we really need to put up there as a top priority."

"It has some major issues, and we don't want to wait till something major happens, and it's too late."

Schilling says a five-year transportation bill would provide stability to workers. The current bill's extension expires June 30th.

He says he's working on bipartisan legislation with a democratic congressman from Iowa that would appropriate funds properly for the project.

According to the Colona Republican, the present day bridge carries four-times more traffic than it should. Preliminary designs for a new bridge above the Mississippi River includes eight total lanes.
04 13 12 by Newsroom
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