Jefferson Barracks Bridge

Thanks to these pictures I was able to win an argument with my husband about the old JB bridge ever being a toll bridge.I Have very strong memories about stopping at that toll booth. As to the comment about why anyone would have a site about bridges....I am 68 years old and my memories about traveling across that bridge as a little girl are as vivid as ever, and seeing the bridge again just brought back all the wonderful memories of visits to reletives in Illinois. I would say that is an excellent reason for having a site like this. Thanks for the memories.

Pic of the old J B Bridge taken from it's replacement, circa 1984. I have home movies from around 1966 entering from the west and driving across.

Some photographs from 1945 of the original Jefferson Barracks Bridge from the Department of Transportation Collection at the Mo State Archives.

Just a quick correction. The eastbound span of the Jefferson Barracks (I-255) bridge was opened in December 1990, not 1986. It was opened right around the time that Iben Browning predicted that there would be a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault. It took some time to complete the eastbound span, as there were money and construction issues. They also dropped one of the horizontal steel members from the arch into the Mississippi River while it was being hoisted, and some time was lost while they retrieved it. I remember that there was a lot of talk at the time about how that earthquake (if it happened) might affect the new bridge. I do have some pictures of the old bridge alongside the new one while it was being build back in the early and mid-80's. The old Jefferson Barracks bridge was completed in 1944 as a war-time measure to allow the Illinois side better access to the western part of the St. Louis area. At that time, there were no bridges on the Mississippi River between the Chester (IL) bridge and the MacArthur Bridge in St. Louis and only a ferry at Davis Street in south St. Louis that crossed over to East Carondelet in Illinois. There was also a railroad ferry that operated between the Carondelet section of south St. Louis and the railyard at Dupo, Illinois that I believe stopped operation sometime in the 1950's. The old Jefferson Barracks was a toll bridge until 1959, when the bonds were paid off. It closed for good when the new bridge opened in 1984 and was eventually demolished. I remember there was a proposal to dismantle it and ship it to South American to be rebuilt somewhere (I never did hear what country was involved)there, but that obviously never came about.

This is, afterall, a website dedicated to bridges; what else would we post about? ;)

Who writes a post about a bridge?

I think you just answered your own question, Mr. Hill!

Wow you saw a bridge when you were a kid great story!

Who writes a post about a bridge?

YAG

Thanks Sharon,

I just saw the picture. I was in pre-school when this bridge was being built and I could see it from the playground. I also remember my parents taking me to cliff cave to watch the old bridge be destroyed. This bridge was not as scarry as the old alton bridge. Thanks once again for directing me to the picture.

Jason

Hi Jason,

In the source section on this page, just about the comment section, is a link to the American Bridge website. There's a photo there of the old bridge and one of the newer spans. The image is small but it will give you some idea of what the Old JB bridge looked like. I hope that is helpful to you.

Regards,

Sharon

I remember crossing the original bridge as a small child and watching the the new bridge being built. The original bridge was very narrow and difficult to cross. I have not seen any pictures on the internet of the original bridge. Would love to see one posted.

I have a photograph taken of myself on the approach of the old bridge in August of 1974. (I was 5 years old) I will look it up so it can be included on the site.

Any pictures of the old original bridge?

These two bridges were built in the late very 1980's into the very early 1990's. The east bound was built second (it is located in the same alighnment as the old original bridge that was replaced) and was dedicated in December 1991. The westbound was built first right alongside the original bridge.