Old Chain of Rocks Bridge/Historic Route 66
A Confluence Attraction

Contact
(314) 416-9930 or (618) 874-8554 toll-free from Illinois

Participating Confluence Organizations
City of Madison IL
Trailnet

Bridge Hours:
7 days a week; dawn to dusk

Missouri Parking Lot Hours:
The Missouri Parking lot will be closed, except when special events are held at the Bridge. Secure parking will be available for these events.

Free parking is available at the Illinois Bridge entrance and at North Riverfront Park, south of the Bridge along the Riverfront Trail.

Location
10950 Riverview Drive, St Louis, MO 63137

Directions
(By car) From I-270, take Riverview Drive south for 1/4-mile and turn left into the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge parking lot
(By bike) The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is currently accessible from the St. Louis Riverfront Trail (in Missouri) and the MCT Confluence Trail (in Illnois). Both of these trails are described on this website.

History
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was constructed in 1929 as a toll bridge to serve the northern portion of the bi-state St. Louis area. It became part of the historic “Mother Road,” old Route 66, in 1936, and was purchased by the City of Madison IL in 1939. The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was superseded in the mid-1960s by the much-wider I-270 bridge a short distance to its north.

Vacant for nearly 30 years, the Bridge found new life through a major renovation project instituted by Trailnet. Since its reopening in 1999, the Bridge has served as a multi-use trail for biking, hiking and public programs and events. It overlooks a particularly scenic stretch of the Mississippi opposite Chouteau Island, which includes the natural “chain of rocks” across the river and two architecturally significant water intake towers, built as part of massive improvements to the city’s water treatment system in preparation for the 1904 World’s Fair.

Current Features
This renovated bridge is dedicated exclusively to bicycle and pedestrian use. At one mile, it is one of the longest such bridges in the world.

The Bridge is a key Mississippi River crossing for a growing network of regional trails and greenways. Main connections at this time are to the St. Louis Riverfront Trail in Missouri and to Chouteau Island IL and the MCT Confluence Trail (Granite City to Alton). From this last trail, cyclists can proceed through Alton to pick up the Vadalabene Bikeway, traveling to Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton.

The Bridge contains interpretive areas on Historic Route 66 and the Mississippi River, and a pedestrian lighting system that permits special uses at night.

A number of special events are held each year on the bridge, including Eagle Days in January, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Rest Area Facilities Enhanced at the Bridge
Trailnet received funding from the Regional Arts Commission
to work with St. Louis artist, Andy Cross, to enhance the new rest area facilities at the western entry area to the Bridge (photo below). Work was completed in summer 2006.

Ultragate Added to the Bridge
James Woodfill, from Kansas City, completed a public art installation on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in August, 2006. The goal of Woodfill’s public installation (photo below) is to encourage reflection about the site and about the environment that the viewer is “in” both physically and emotionally. Funding for the project was secured through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Department of Transportation. The City of Madison Public Works assisted with the installation.
Woodfill's portfolio may be viewed at His portfolio may be viewed at www.jameswoodfill.com.

Winner of the 2006 Outstanding Trail Sharing Award
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was recognized by American Trails as the recipient of the Outstanding Trail Sharing Award on October 21, 2006 at the American Trails Conference. This award recognizes innovative and successful trail sharing efforts, programs, and systems. The Bridge is part of the historic Route 66 Scenic Byway System, serves as a key link connecting trails in Missouri and Illinois and is a shared venue for many outdoor recreational activities.

Added to National Register of Historic Places
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was added to the registry on December 1, 2006. The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture.

For more information about the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge see
http://www.trailnet.org

For more information about Historic Route 66, see
http://www.missouri66.org/index.html (Route 66 Association of Missouri)
http://www.Il66assoc.org (Route 66 Association of Illinois)
http://www.national66.org (National Historic Route 66 Federation)