Maybe Don't Cross The Unfinished I-74 Pedestrian Bridge Yet

You may be excited to cross the I-74 pedestrian bridge but Moline officials are asking you to be patient and refrain from it for now.

“People were actually walking across the bridge,” Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas told KWQC. “In some cases, even riding bicycles across the bridge. And unfortunately, it’s really not open yet.”

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Not everything is in place for the bridge to open yet, including a piece of glass artwork called the oculus, which will go into the viewing platform.

The other aspect that must come together for the bridge to open involves an agreement between Bettendorf and Moline. It could be ready next month and will deal with the maintenance and upkeep of the bridge.

You won't get fined in Moline for crossing the bridge right now, but it's not very safe.

“It’s kind of like jaywalking on the street,” Vitas told the station. “Is it a smart thing to jaywalk cross street when there’s traffic? Probably not. It’s really no different.”

You'll know when it opens and it's ready for pedestrians. Once the pedestrian bridge is safe and ready to go per both Iowa DOT and Illinois DOT, Vitas says there will be a ceremony to officially open it. But meanwhile, you're encouraged to enjoy other QC trails if you want to get out and about.

If you're ready to catch the pretty view of the river from the bridge, it shouldn't be too far away. Vitas says the ceremony to open the bridge should take place sometime this spring.