A new Mississippi River crossing is set to open to motorists, marking the completion of a major transportation infrastructure project designed to improve regional mobility between Illinois and Missouri. The bridge represents the culmination of several years of planning, engineering and construction.
Ames Construction has completed the Don Welge Memorial Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River between Chester, Illinois, and Perryville, Missouri.
The bridge is scheduled to open to public traffic on July 13 following a community ribbon-cutting celebration on July 11. Completion of the project concludes a multi-year effort involving coordination among transportation agencies, designers, contractors and trade partners.
The new structure provides an updated river crossing intended to strengthen transportation connections between the two states while replacing older infrastructure serving the corridor.
The Chester Chamber of Commerce recognized Ames Construction and the project's designers and trade partners as its 2026 Business of the Year in conjunction with completion of the bridge.
The recognition highlights the collaborative effort required to deliver a major infrastructure project that will serve regional travelers, commercial traffic and surrounding communities.
Bridge replacement projects remain a key component of transportation infrastructure investment across the United States as state and local agencies modernize aging assets and improve network reliability. For construction owners, contractors and infrastructure developers, projects such as the Don Welge Memorial Bridge demonstrate continued demand for heavy civil construction expertise, multi-agency coordination and long-term investments in regional transportation connectivity.
Source: Ames Construction.
