Merchants Bridge Rehab Restoring Service to Both Tracks, Supporting Increased Freight Activity Nationwide

Merchants Bridge Rehab Restoring Service to Both Tracks, Supporting Increased Freight Activity Nationwide
July 30, 2020 Jerry Vallely

This story was originally published in St. Louis Construction News & Review on July 1, 2020.


St. Louis CNR

“A $179 million project to rehabilitate Merchants Bridge in downtown St. Louis continues.

The 130-year-old rail bridge, which crosses the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Venice, IL three miles north of Eads Bridge, is owned by the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. A long list of project partners, led by the TRRA and Chicago-based Walsh Construction, are collaborating on the project. Replacing the main spans and rehabilitating the piers and east approach are major components of the work. The project commenced in July 2019 and is on track – pun intended – to complete in April 2023.

An average of 38 trains traverse the Merchants Bridge each day, carrying a total of 40 MGT (million gross tons) of freight annually. The anticipated rail tonnage is projected to increase by 49 percent by 2040. The bridge also serves as an Amtrack rail corridor…”

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