Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge

The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge connecting Missouri's Route 34 and Route 74 with Illinois Route 146 across the Mississippi River between Cape Girardeau, Missouri and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.[1]

Old Cape Girardeau Bridge with replacement under construction, 1997.
Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge
Coordinates37°17′43″N 89°30′57″W
Carries4 lanes of Route 34 / IL 146
CrossesMississippi River
LocaleCape Girardeau, Missouri and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois
Maintained byMissouri Department of Transportation
Characteristics
DesignCable-stayed bridge
Total length3,955 feet (1,205 m)
Width94 feet (29 m)
Longest span1,149 feet (350 m)
Clearance below60 feet (18 m)
History
OpenedDecember 13, 2003
Location

It was built just south of its predecessor, the Cape Girardeau Bridge, which was completed in 1928 and demolished in 2004. Prior to its destruction, it was documented for the Library of Congress Historic American Engineering Record Survey number HAER MO-84.

The bridge is named after Bill Emerson, a Missouri politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 until his death in 1996. Planning for the four-lane structure began in June 1987, and construction began in late 1996. Several factors have been blamed for the bridge's many delays in planning and construction, including Illinois' reluctance to participate in the project, as well as issues with the bedrock of the river (this resulted in the hiring of a new contractor).

The bridge was featured in the 2014 David Fincher film Gone Girl.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. "Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge Main Span Completed, Cape Girardeau, Missouri". Segments. American Segmental Bridge Institut. Winter 2004. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  2. Warnick, Ron (2014-09-30). "Local News: A guide to North Carthage: 18 'Gone Girl' movie filming locations in the Cape Girardeau region (09/30/14)". seMissourian.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  3. Caesar, Dan (2014-10-03). "'Gone Girl' shifts film focus to Missouri : Entertainment". Stltoday.com. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
Bill Emerson Bridge at night.


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