Murray Baker Bridge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Murray Baker Bridge | |
 Murray Baker Bridge from Caterpillar parking lot in Peoria |
|
| Carries | 4 lanes of I-74 |
|---|---|
| Crosses | Illinois River |
| Locale | Peoria, Illinois and East Peoria, Illinois |
| Maintained by | Illinois Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 000090000119656[1] |
| Design | Cantilever bridge |
| Total length | Original: 3,216 feet (980.2 m) Current: 3,036 feet (925.3 m) |
| Load limit | 52.2 metric tons[1] |
| Vertical clearance | 14.4 ft (4.4 m)[1] |
| Clearance below | 48.9 ft (14.9 m)[1] |
| AADT | 62,100[2] |
| Opening date | 1958 |
| Coordinates | |
The Murray Baker Bridge is a landmark cantilever bridge that carries Interstate 74 over the Illinois River from downtown Peoria to East Peoria in central Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Murray Baker Bridge was built in 1958, and had an original length of 3,216 feet (980.2 m).
The bridge carries Interstate 74 over the Illinois River at the end of Peoria Lake. The bridge itself is a single cantilever bridge, with two lanes in each direction. Because it has no shoulders, the Baker Bridge is not up to modern Interstate standards.
The bridge is named for Murray M. Baker, who was the first vice president of the company that eventually became Caterpillar. Baker convinced the Holt Manufacturing Co. to move to Peoria in 1909. Holt merged with C.L. Best Gas Tractor Co. and became Caterpillar in 1925.
As part of the Upgrade 74 reconstruction project in 2005, the span's length was shortened to 3,036 feet (925.3 m) to make room for new entrance ramps on the east side of the river. On January 3, 2006, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the chief design consultant for the truss shortening, Alfred Benesch & Company, were awarded the 2006 Eminent Conceptor Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL). The project was picked out of a larger group of Honor Award recipients. The winner of the award for 2005 was the city of Chicago with its completion of Millennium Park.
[edit] Photographs
 Murray Baker Bridge |
 Murray Baker Bridge |
[edit] References
| Crossings of the Illinois River | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream Ironworkers Memorial Bridge   |
Murray Baker Bridge |
Downstream Bob Michel Bridge  |
|
 |
Municipalities and Communities of Tazewell County, Illinois (County Seat: Pekin) |
|---|---|
| Cities, Towns and Villages | Armington | Creve Coeur | Deer Creek | Delavan | East Peoria | Goodfield | Green Valley | Groveland | Hopedale | Mackinaw | Marquette Heights | Minier | Morton | Pekin | North Pekin | South Pekin | Tremont | Washington |
| Townships | Boynton | Cincinnati | Deer Creek | Delavan | Dillon | Elm Grove | Fondulac | Groveland | Hittle | Hopedale | Little Mackinaw | Mackinaw | Malone | Morton | Pekin | Sand Prairie | Spring Lake | Tremont | Washington |
 |
This article about a specific bridge in the United States is a stub. You can help WikiProject Bridges by expanding it. |
 This article about a building or structure in Illinois is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
