Chester Bridge to be full width for holiday

Over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, state officials will allow large equipment to pass over the Chester Bridge -- once --during the 72-hour period from Sept. 3 through Sept. 5.

Missouri Department of Transportation officials in the Southeast District office in Sikeston, Missouri, announced the action Thursday.

Work to rehabilitate the span, first built in 1942 and then rebuilt in 1944 following a bad storm, is underway and should be completed by Dec. 1, state transportation officials have reported.

At present, Route 51 is reduced to a single lane with a 10-foot width restriction in the vicinity of the bridge, connecting Perryville, Missouri, and Chester, Illinois.

The span, while considered "safe" by MoDOT for travel, is in poor condition.

MoDOT reports the rehab work will help the transportation agency prepare for the entire replacement of the bridge by 2026.

Chester Bridge is considered a vital Missouri-Illinois link, carrying an estimated 7,000 vehicles per day.

Additional details about Chester Bridge are available at modot.org/chesterbridge.