Chain of Rocks Bridge

Chain of Rocks Rd., Madison, IL
Phone:

East < GO > West

The Chain of Rocks Bridge makes a 22 degree turn in the middle of the river. Since the bridge deck is only 22 feet wide the turn in the middle made it difficult for longer trucks to use it without crossing the centerline at that point. The bridge was opened in 1929 and used until 1968 when it was closed. This photo was taken from the fishing area on the east side of the river and just south of the bridge.

It was nearly demolished in the early 1970's but survived and in 1999 it was reopened to the public as a bicycle and pedestrian bridge. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

To get to the bridge from I-270, take exit 4 onto Old Alton Road, turn right under I-270 and then turn right unto Chain of Rocks Rd. The bridge in the background in the photo above is I-270.

GPS: 38.76021, -90.17482

There is a free parking area on the east end (Illinois side) of the bridge that offers easy access to walking the bridge. At 5,353 feet the bridge is just over a mile long, so bring comfy walking shoes.

Part of designing and locating the bridge was to allow for these two existing city water works intakes, the smaller from 1894 and the other from 1915. In the river. This is looking south west from the west end of the bridge.

This view gives an idea of how much the bridge turns in the middle of the span. The bridge deck is narrow enough that large trucks had trouble making this turn, especially when traffic was heavy.

The fishing area just south of the bridge affords a great view of it. This photo was taken from the bridge. It's also a place where there are likely to be more people during the weekdays and you can see the bridge without losing sight of your car. To get to the fishing area turn left (south) just before the bridge parking lot on the east end of the bridge.

Photo(s): 2012

Backtrack to Hwy. 3 and take I-270 across the river to Missouri.