HANNIBAL – Work is has begun to remove the ferry landing on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River near the Champ Clark Bridge, and anyone wanting to view progress can now go online and access the construction web cam. “This camera takes four to five shots of the bridge an hour at random intervals, so it refreshes every 10 to 15 minutes which gives viewers near real-time work,” said Missouri Department of Transportation Project Manager Keith Killen. He said the play button shows a condensed slide show of images.
The web cam, along with construction photos and the latest online newsletter, can be accessed by clicking the "What's Going On Now" button on www.champclarkbridge.com.
While much work has been done at the intersection of U.S. 54 and MO 79 in Louisiana, area residents and drivers will soon be able to see crews drilling shafts in the river on the Illinois side in preparation for the construction of the bridge piers.
“The primary purpose of the camera is to allow Missouri and Illinois taxpayers the opportunity to see progress, as well as those who are working on the project,” Killen explained. “Many of the 4000 motorists who use the bridge each day aren’t from the area and may be interested to know what is going on,” he added.
The Champ Clark Bridge is being replaced with a new bridge just to the south of the old one. The cost is more than $60 million and is being shared between Missouri and Illinois.