After 84 years of service, soon the Chester Bridge will be no more.
Dating back to 1942, the Chester Bridge allowed vehicles to cross the Mississippi River between Perryville, MO and Chester, IL without having to use a ferry.
Construction on the original Chester Bridge began in 1941 and it opened to the public on August 23, 1942. It was built at a cost of $1.4 million. Unfortunately, the bridge was damaged by a tornado that hit and collapsed the main spans of the bridge on July 29, 1944. The bridge was re-constructed and reopened on Aug. 24, 1946.
For more on the bridge demolition, please see this week’s print edition.