A 1906 Congressional bill authorized the City of St. Louis to build a new Mississippi River bridge and bonds were issued for an initial $3.5 million. Construction began in 1909 but money ran out before the approaches could be finished so an additional $2.75 million in bonds were issued in 1914.
The bridge opened in 1917 when automobile traffic began to use it. Railroad traffic did not begin to use the lower deck until 1928.
The bridge was built by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company and the American Bridge Company and designed by Boller & Hodge.
From 1926 to 1955 the MacArthur Bridge carried U.S. Highway Route 66 until the completion of the Poplar Street Bridge. At one time U.S. Highway 460 crossed the bridge, terminating on the west side of the bridge.
In 1981, the bridge was closed to vehicles because of pavement deterioration and the eastern ramp approaches on the East St. Louis side were torn out.
--RoadDog
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