Chester, Italy
The Don Welge Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River, which connects Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois using Missouri's Route 51 and Illinois's Route 150. It is the successor to the Chester Bridge, which was built in 1942 and reconstructed in 1946 after a seve
re thunderstorm destroyed the main span. The bridge is named after Don Welge, a former Chester resident and longtime advocate for a new bridge for the last 15 years of his life until his death in 2020. The first plans for a new bridge were developed in March 2018, and construction began in September 2023.
Listen to the audio guide for Don Welge Memorial Bridge Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off