IDOT Plans Illinois 57 Bypass Around Marblehead, New Mill Creek Bridge as Major Corridor Upgrade
MARBLEHEAD, Ill. A major change could be coming to Illinois 57 south of Quincy, where the Illinois Department of Transportation is proposing to move the highway west of Marblehead and replace an aging bridge over Mill Creek.
IDOT announced that it will hold a public hearing Nov. 17 on the final plan for the project, which would create a new Illinois 57 alignment bypassing Marblehead and construct a wider bridge across Mill Creek.
For motorists, the proposal is relatively simple: instead of continuing to use the existing stretch of Illinois 57 through Marblehead and the current narrow Mill Creek crossing, traffic would be shifted onto a new route west of the community.
The project is intended to improve safety and traffic flow along a highway that serves as one of the primary routes between Interstate 72 and Quincy’s industrial areas.
That is especially important for truck traffic.
Illinois 57 carries commercial vehicles moving between the I-72 interchange south of Quincy and industrial properties closer to the city. IDOT Region Four Engineer Teresa Price described the highway as a “vital industrial corridor in western Illinois” and said the bypass and bridge are intended to improve safety for Adams County motorists, particularly freight traffic traveling between I-72 and Quincy’s industrial area.
One of the biggest reasons for the project is the condition of the existing Mill Creek bridge.
The bridge was originally constructed in 1932 and was rehabilitated more than 50 years ago. IDOT now classifies it as being in poor condition.
Its design also creates an ongoing maintenance problem.
The existing bridge has three piers positioned in the water. Those supports regularly catch debris carried downstream, according to IDOT, contributing to maintenance problems and erosion along the banks of Mill Creek.
The proposed replacement would be wider and would be built as part of the new Illinois 57 alignment.
In practical terms, the project would address two issues at once. It would replace a bridge approaching a century in age while also changing the highway alignment to create a more direct route around Marblehead for motorists and large commercial vehicles.
Construction is not expected to begin immediately.
IDOT currently anticipates work on the bypass and new bridge could begin during the 2028-2029 construction seasons. That schedule remains tentative.
Before construction advances, residents will have an opportunity to review the plans and provide comments.
IDOT will hold a public hearing from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center, 405 Vermont St. in Quincy.
There will not be a formal presentation. Instead, IDOT plans to provide project exhibits, displays and fact sheets, with department staff and consultants available to answer questions individually. Members of the public will also be able to submit comments on the final plan.
If the current timeline holds, that transformation could begin taking shape in 2028.
