I-74 Mississippi River Bridge

Quad Cities, Illinois
United States

Faced with a functionally obsolete yet frequently traveled bridge, the stakeholders of the Quad Cities commissioned the design of a bold new bridge that could serve as an icon and economic booster for its surrounding communities. After 13 years of conceptual planning, funding strategies, and design, the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge stands today as a celebration of people, community, and light.

The double basket handled arch structure comes alive at night, with discreet uplighting that forms over 25 dynamic scenes in celebration of seasons, events, and holidays throughout the year. Along the popular pedestrian path, the overlook and illuminated glass oculus create an inviting respite for travelers. The Identity Element columns incorporate a clever integration of reflective blue highway sign material, used to reflect and evenly distribute the illumination from a single light placed at the bottom of the columns.

  • Architectural Lighting
  • Light Art
  • Lighting Controls
  • Bridges
  • 10 miles | 16 km
  • Alfred Benesch & Co
  • Illuminating Engineering Society Illumination Award of Merit
  • Illuminating Engineering Society Illumination Award of Excellence
  • Illuminating Engineering Society Lumen Award
  • Feinknopf Photography, Lauren K. Davis