Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge

Bridge in Iowa, River Mile

42°06′16″N 90°09′38″W / 42.10444°N 90.16056°W / 42.10444; -90.16056Carries2 lanes of

US 52 / Iowa 64 / IL 64CrossesMississippi River, BNSF RailwayLocaleSavanna, Illinois / Jackson County, near Sabula, Iowa, River Mile 537.8Official nameDale Gardner Veterans Memorial BridgeOther name(s)Savanna-Sabula BridgeNamed forDale GardnerMaintained byIllinois Department of TransportationCharacteristicsDesignsteel tied-archTotal length2,454 ft (748 m)Width40 ft (12 m)Longest span546 ft (166 m)No. of spans12Clearance below65 ft (20 m)No. of lanes2HistoryConstructed byKraemer North America, Bumpy's Steel ErectionConstruction start2016Construction cost$80 MillionOpenedNovember 17, 2017ReplacesSavanna-Sabula BridgeLocation Map

The Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge, often referred to as the New Savanna-Sabula Bridge, or by the same name as its predecessor, the Savanna-Sabula Bridge, is a steel tied-arch that carries U.S. Route 52 (US 52) across the Mississippi River. It connects the city of Savanna, Illinois, with the island city of Sabula, Iowa. Construction on the span began in 2016 and it opened on November 17, 2017. It was erected by Bumpy's Steel Erection of East St. Louis, Illinois and Edward Kraemer & Sons of Plain, Wisconsin.^[1] The bridge replaced the Savanna–Sabula Bridge, which was located a few yards to the north.

The Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge was closed on February 27, 2018 while an adjoining causeway was replaced. The Running Slough Bridge had sunk between 1 foot (30 cm) and 5 feet (1.5 m) causing a visible change to the structure.^[2] The causeway bridge was deemed unsafe until the replacement was complete. The closure necessitated a 36-mile (58 km) detour to Clinton, Iowa/Fulton, Illinois. A complimentary ferry service between Savanna and Sabula began operations on June 12. The bridge was re-opened on August 31, 2018.^[3]

References

^ "New Savanna-Sabula Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
^ Hartman, Phillip (February 28, 2018). "Bridge closed near Savanna; drivers asked to take 36-mile detour". SaukValley.com. Sterling, Illinois. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
^ Times online staff (August 31, 2018). "Mississippi River Bridge between Savanna, Sabula to open later today". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2018-08-31.