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Possible delay is OK with community leaders

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By Kay Luna | Wednesday, October 18, 2006 12:06 AM CDT | () comments

Not only will the new West Rock River bridge better connect Rock Island, Moline and Milan, Ill., but city officials say the long-awaited span also will spur economic development in the area.

So, while a possible delay in the bridge’s opening is disappointing, it’s not a “major setback,” Milan Village Administrator Steve Seiver said Tuesday.

Business and housing growth around the bridge — and much further into Milan’s main traffic areas — still is expected to follow its opening, whenever that happens, which is good news for the small community, he said.

“It might impact the timing of some specific projects, but we would still expect to see strong economic development outcome from the improvements,” Seiver said. “The economics of it are still basically the same.”

Rock Island officials also hope to see major investment follow the bridge’s opening along Blackhawk Road, where state transportation workers are busy widening the roadway in preparation for the bridge’s debut. Completion of that work is expected in August, Rock Island City Manager John Phillips said.

The bridge also is expected to impact residential and commercial growth in southwest Rock Island, along U.S. 67 and the Rock Island Parkway, and even along Andalusia Road — which is not in close proximity to the span.

But the area will seem closer when traffic can move that much faster over the Rock River, Phillips said.

“It’s a very quick trip from Highland Springs Golf Course (in southwest Rock Island) to anyplace east in the Illinois Quad-Cities with that bridge,” he said.

Meanwhile, Moline City Administrator Lew Steinbrecher said the bridge also has “a high level of importance as far as economic growth opportunities” for his city, on both the north and south sides of the Rock.