A bridge to the future: Rock Island anxious for bridge despite design

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By Dustin Lemmon | Monday, June 11, 2007 1:07 AM CDT | () comments

While the layout of the Veterans Memorial Bridge at Carr’s Crossing may be somewhat frustrating for Rock Island officials and its residents, its opening still is expected to spur growth along Blackhawk Road.

Mayor Mark Schwiebert said the city already has received inquiries from businesses interested in building along the south side of the road, where land from 30th to 38th streets has been cleared for development.

“A lot of interest has sprung up with the project out there that has not gone public,” he said, declining to name those who have contacted the city.

Construction of the bridge resulted in the widening of Blackhawk Road from Rock Island’s eastern boundary west to 24th Street, Schwiebert said.

Alan Carmen, the city’s planning and redevelopment administrator, said the area has the potential for several new businesses that could bring 250 to 500 jobs.

“We’ve been promoting Blackhawk Road for many years,” he noted.

“The bridge now presents access to a different market that wouldn’t have been available before. More properties that had been undeveloped may be more marketable now.”

Rock Island initially was frustrated by the design of the bridge, which steers most traffic toward Moline on John Deere Road and forces eastbound traffic out of Rock Island to go around a large loop. Schwiebert thinks the state spent more than was necessary on the bridge, which he said is designed to handle more traffic than it likely will generate.

Despite the design, the widening of Blackhawk Road should improve traffic flow to the southern end of Rock Island, the mayor said.

“I think (the bridge is) kind of overdeveloped, but that’s kind of water over the dam now, and we’re just moving on with it,” Schwiebert said.

“If we didn’t see enough positives, we wouldn’t have supported the project.”

Carmen expects growth to come quickly to the area once the bridge is accessible.

“With it opening, I think it kind of removes the psychological impact,” he said. “The traffic will be there right away.”

Schwiebert said the biggest frustration for Blackhawk Road businesses has been the long construction process and the delay in opening the bridge.

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com