Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River Bridge Photography

Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River Bridge

Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River Bridge


This post features photos from our June visit to the Quad Cities for photography of the I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River Bridge. Officially named “The Twin Bridges”, the new transportation infrastructure bridge project spans the Mississippi River connecting Bettendorf, Iowa to Moline, Illinois.  We photograph structural art, infrastructure, architecture, buildings, industrial, bridges, transportation, and more around the Nationwide, so we we’re excited to be the selected photographer for this photo project close to home.  We set out to capture a variety of photography to include ground photos from the shore, images on the suspension bridge, drone aerial, day, and night images of the arch bridges. It was the perfect summer seasonal weather for the shoot providing for pedestrians and transportation both passing over the new Mississippi River bridges.

bridges transportation road highway marine utilities photographer

bridges transportation road highway marine utilities photographer


Interstate I-74 Mississippi bridge river night photos

Interstate I-74 Mississippi bridge river night photos


architectural drone exterior bridge photographer rosales partners

architectural drone exterior bridge photographer


Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River bridge photography

Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River bridge photography


drone bridges night award competition photographer bridge structure

drone bridges night award competition photographer bridge structure


drone aerial bridge photography photographer

drone aerial bridge photography photographer


structural engineering civil mechanical solar marketing images

structural engineering civil mechanical solar marketing images


suspension bridge professional commercial photography company photos

MILLER+MILLER Architectural Photography was commissioned by Miguel Rosales of Rosales + Partners for a photography architectural photo shoot of the new I-74 bridge in the Quad Cities.  The new I-74 Mississippi River crossing bridge construction connects the Illinois and Iowa state’s roads and transportation infrastructure – both a functional bridge with its infrastructure design, yet constructed as beautifully aesthetic designed structural piece of art.  The arching white bridges are visible from long range viewpoints miles away from the Illinois and Iowa Mississippi shorelines during the day and when illuminated at night.

The new $1.2-billion bridge fully opened to road traffic on Dec. 2, 2021.  The walkable, running, and bike friendly pedestrian portion of the bridge opened for use in April 2022 with the City of Bettendorf IA and Moline IL hosting a bike and pedestrian path dedication on May 18, 2022.  Waiting for optimum weather and the exterior landscape with trees in the area to be full of green leaves, our photo shoot proceeded in early June.  The I-74 bridge project is part of a regional strategy for improving access across the Mississippi. For updates on the I-74 River Bridge project, visit the bridge construction project website at I74RiverBridge.com.

MILLER+MILLER is a commercial architectural photography company who produces marketing images for architects, contractors, engineers, artists, mechanical, civic, government, and more professional companies.  M+M spent the day completing photography of the Mississippi Bridge in Moline Illinois and Bettendorf Iowa capturing variety of vantage points from both the ground level and bird’s eye height in the sky with our drone from sunrise to sunset.

A photography goal was to illustrate not only the final completed structure of the bridge, but also the beautiful landscape surrounding the twin arching bridges.  Producing aerial, day, sunset, and night photographs to showcase the bridge’s Summer time season, Midwest landscape, bridge uplighting illumination at night, and architecture structural design.  A goal of photographing images for the Quad Cities new landmark twin bridges which artistically capture architectural photos the suspension bridge and twin steel arches bridge structure.  The Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois Mississippi River bridge design is a visually memorable and artistic connection for traffic driving over the Mississippi River and between the states of Iowa and Illinois.

Mississippi River Quad Cities Davenport Bettendorf

Mississippi River Quad Cities Davenport Bettendorf


Illinois Iowa drone bridge photography photographers

Illinois Iowa drone bridge photography photographers


The Interstate 74 (I-74) transportation road bridge reconstruction serves as the primary crossing of the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities of Davenport, Rock Island, Bettendorf, & Moline in Illinois and Iowa.  The bridge construction project totaled seven miles of interstate expansion.  Design and transportation functionality of the I-74 bridge provides access for the important east-west interstate link in the nation’s Midwest segment of the transportation network with its west end at the I-80 interchange in Davenport Iowa and east terminus at I-75 in Cincinnati.

drone bridge photography photographers

drone bridge photography photographers


white arches bridge river crossing sunset sunrise landscape

white arches bridge river crossing sunset sunrise landscape


up lighting suspension bridge illumination

up lighting suspension bridge illumination


structural infrastructure architectural photographer

structural infrastructure architectural photographer


night sunset bridge river ocean water pedestrian traffic

night sunset bridge river ocean water pedestrian traffic


architectural suspension bridge architect photography Chicago photographer

architectural suspension bridge architect photography Chicago photographer


artistic night photography infrastructure bridge architecture

artistic night photography infrastructure bridge architecture


Rock Island Moline Davenport Iowa Illinois drone development photos

Quad Cities Rock Island Moline Davenport Iowa Illinois drone development photos


transportation travel railway ports airport landscape traffic bridges stimulus infrastructure

transportation travel railway ports airport landscape traffic bridges stimulus infrastructure


Chicago photographer infrastructure bridges rail marine

Chicago photographer infrastructure bridges rail marine


glass oculus viewing platform river city bridges

glass oculus viewing platform river city bridges


artistic walking path bridge photos

artistic walking path bridge photos


Pedestrians and visitors to the bridge river crossing site are able to use the bike and pedestrian path which features on top a scenic overlook with a glass oculus floor.  The oculus view point provides the public with a unique view through the glass of the Mississippi River flowing below as well as a viewing platform to view the west setting sunsets over the Mississippi river valley.  The 10-foot diameter glass oculus is made of thick, safe to stand on with the tempered glass with a textured surface to provide traction.  In the evening, the bridge glows with up lighting, and the entire path is lit at night to include the pedestrian bridge’s summit scenic water overlook.  The fully separated pedestrian bridge is ADA accessible.  The path connects to existing trails on both sides of the Mississippi River waterway between Davenport, Rock Island, Bettendorf, and Moline. The old I-74 bridge is planned for demolition.

On December 1, 2021, thousands of residents and visitors participated in a celebration walk over the new I-74 River Bridge and celebrated the future of the Quad Cities together. Watch the December recap celebratory walk video on the I-74 River Bridge Youtube page:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9p-nDvkyQ

steel bridge structural infrastructure commercial photographer

steel bridge structural infrastructure commercial photographer


bridge glass oculus viewing platform pedestrian bike path

bridge glass oculus viewing platform pedestrian bike path


Congress passed the Whitehouse’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails https://www.whitehouse.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/ (in addition to expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, invest in communities.)  Government improvements are for the United States ports, airports, rail, and roads reconstructing our nation’s bridges, and construction of interstate highway traffic and transportation systems.  MILLER+MILLER Architectural Photography is experience in photographing all types of infrastructure, view additional posts featuring Bridges Transportation Road Highway Marine Airports Utilities Photographer image examples.

white twin arch suspension bridge pedestrians walking bike path

white twin arch suspension bridge pedestrians walking bike path


new bridge park bicycle bike path community development

new bridge park bicycle bike path community development


Mississippi River path Bettendorf Jetty Park Iowa bridge

Mississippi River path Bettendorf Jetty Park Iowa bridge


MILLER+MILLER is a husband & wife, Nationwide traveling commercial architectural photography company. Our photographs of the new Quad Cities I-74 Iowa Illinois bridge replacement crossing over the Mississippi River, connecting Iowa to Illinois, features nearly two decades of work from a number of contributors for the bridge development project. From design, to planning, to construction, the build was a collaboration of the project leads listed below, along with all their sub-contracting partners, and countless other entities, businesses, and community members. ( Sources  www.constructionequipmentguide.com/crews-place-keystone-on-iowa-illinois-bridge/49218, and the links below).

BRIDGE PROJECT COLLABORATORS & CONTRIBUTORS:
IOWA DOT District 6 Cedar Rapids
Illinois DOT District 2

Awards
American Institute of Steel Construction and the National Steel Bridge Alliance — National Award in the Major Span category of the 2022 Prize Bridge Awards

Design
Rosales + Partners — Architect, conceptual engineering and design of bridges, and type study selection, architectural visualizations and physical models
Modjeski and Masters (M&M), as part of the Alfred Benesch Design Team

Construction Management/General Engineering Consultants
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
HR Green
Hutchison Engineering Inc.
Knight E/A, Inc
R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc.
Images, Inc. — Public Involvement Strategic Communications Planning

Construction Engineering and Inspection Consultants
R.J. Watson, Inc.
Tenca Steel Detailing, Inc.
Bruner, Cooper & Zuck, Inc.
HNTB
McClure Engineering Associates, Inc

Contractors
Helm Group/Civil Constructors Inc. — Iowa viaduct
Kraemer North America — Illinois viaduct and ramps
K&W Electric — Roadway lighting
Lunda Construction Co. — Main bridge
Minturn — Aesthetic lighting
McCarthy Improvement — Iowa mainline and ramps
Valley Construction — Iowa ramp and mainline storm sewer
Walsh Group — Illinois I-74 mainline and ramps

Contact photographers MILLER+MILLER Architectural Photography to photograph your finished architecture, structure, transportation, infrastructure, or construction project. Providing aerial drone photography, video, and exterior night photography services, we look forward to learning about your unique project and your photography image needs. Our husband and wife photography company with 10+ years of working as a commercial photographer provide an experienced ability to capture a variety of exterior angles, elevations, and artistically framed shots of structures, architecture, infrastructure and more through photography and architectural video services.  

Below are a few quick links to additional blog posts of structural projects:

chicago skyway toll bridge

View Our Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge & Plaza Renovation Photography Shoot

Drescent Dunes Solar Energy Project Tonopah Drone

Click Here to View Our Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project Commercial Photos & Video


Navy Pier Wave Wall’s Urban Design & Structures Photography

navy pier wave wall

Navy Pier wave wall

wave wall stairs Navy Pier

wave wall stairs Navy Pier


navy-pier-wave-wall-urban-design-structures-photography

Navy Pier wave wall urban design structures photography


Navy Pier Chicago

Navy Pier Chicago


wave stair wall Navy Pier

wave stair wall Navy Pier

MILLER+MILLER Architectural Photography photographs the Navy Pier Wave Wall and Urban Design & Structures Photography showcasing the urban design materials, systems infrastructure and architecture design of the recently redesigned, downtown Chicago popular tourist attraction.  Our photography focused on capturing the Navy Pier wave stair wall’s modern design which utilizes our client’s application of commercial and industrial paint coatings finishes. 

Navy Pier’s dynamic lakefront location has been a part of Chicago’s history since 1916.  As Chicago urban design and architectural photographers, we appreciate the benefit of often learning early about finishing of construction, photographing just built skyscrapers, buildings, new construction, and unique architect projects annually; such as quoting photos of Chicago’s newest Navy Pier “Wave Stair Wall” right after completion.  

Our client’s marketing contact inquired to us about her company’s infrastructure construction marketing portfolio photo needs and photography the company’s latest urban design architectural project at Chicago Navy Pier.  Looking for Chicago photographer to photograph several angles and appearances of the Urban Design & Structures featuring the company’s architectural and industrial coatings for the wood & steel architectural materials around the finished site.  The architect designed and client’s finishing coatings are visible within the wave stair wall, railings and benches around the staircase of the pier, providing a premier coating for high performance architectural and industrial applications using a Fluoronar finish.  Photography included a variety of angles and detailed pictures of the sites that utilized architectural steel and metal primer and topcoat final coatings.   A few wide shots included the skyline to the west, with Loews Hotel Tower, Trump, 474 North Lake Shore Drive, & Lake Point Tower skyscrapers visible in the background of the pier images.  

The Navy Pier pierscape renovation is a small part of the plan for Chicago’s historic Navy Pier redesign called The Centennial Vision. Navy Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016.  The first of multiple phases of construction design at Navy Pier included architect and construction company’s development of new architectural structures – Wave Wall, Info Tower, Lake Pavilions, and Kiosks Kiosks with stainless steel canopies and a towering glass and chrome sculpture are among the recent enhancements made now spanning the newly redesigned pierscape in Chicago on the Navy Pier’s South Dock and the Polk Bros. Fountain. The pierscape urban architecture and landscape design project was led by New York based James Corner Field Operations team in the design of the contemporary “pierscape” that will renew the popular destination’s experience and connection to the water.  “Re-imagined as a green spine that extends from Lake Michigan back into the city, the Pier’s South Dock anchors a series of thematic rooms filled with engaging social spaces, contemporary architecture, stunning water features, atmospheric lighting, amusements, and seasonal plantings.  The new South Dock and adjoining Polk Brothers Park, as well as the upcoming East End Park, Crystal Garden and other public spaces, will make Navy Pier not only a world-class icon, but also a center of activity and culture that is reflective of an authentic, contemporary Chicago identity.”

navy pier wave wall stairs

navy pier wave wall stairs


urban architecture landscape design photos Chicago

urban architecture landscape design photos Chicago


urban design structures photography

urban design structures photography


Navy Pier Chicago wave wall

Navy Pier Chicago wave wall

urban landscape architecture design chicago

urban landscape architecture design chicago


urban infrastructure architect design chicago images

urban infrastructure architect design chicago images


commercial landscape design construction photographer Chicago

commercial landscape design construction photographer Chicago


The Chicago’s Navy Pier is Illinois’ most popular tourist attraction. The pierscape’s redesign connects the vibrant social and recreational space redesigned to help connect the pier back to the city.  Field Operations  plans for the architecture of Pierscape to be organized into two categories and scales: large singular structures that merge buildings with landscape and smaller objects that punctuate the pier and frame new views towards Lake Michigan. As the architects on the team, nARCHITECTS collaborated on the overall plan and designed structures that enhance Chicagoans’ connection to the lake by framing, integrating or reflecting the natural environment.  

As the centerpiece of the South Dock Promenade, the Wave Wall is a louvered façade that morphs into a grand stair, inspired by the Spanish Steps in Rome at Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti.  It connects the South Dock to an upper level amusement park in one continuous and dramatic social space with south facing views of Lake Michigan.  As the steps rise and transition into louvers, they reveal access to 30,000 square feet of retail spaces below.  The Wave Wall Staircase steps serve not only as a traditional staircase purpose leading upwards from the lakefront up to the Centennial Wheel Navy Pier Chicago, but also dual use as seating for the throughout the Summer, twice a week Navy Pier Firework’s show where many onlookers sit to watch fireworks lighting the sky over Lake Michigan.  

Chicago Navy Pier Wave Wall Stairs
Location: Chicago, IL
Construction of 3,000 ft-long pier redesign and The South Dock and Polk Plaza Navy Pier Project was completed in 2016.

1st Prize, International Competition, with James Corner Field Operations, Team Leader.
Awards: 1st Prize, International Competition; Architizer A+ Awards, Finalist, Mixed-Use Commercial. 

Architizer A+ Awards, 2017 Finalist, Architecture + Sustainability: Navy Pier South Dock and Polk Bros. Fountain.
ASLA-NY Honor 2017 Award: Navy Pier South Dock and Polk Bros. Plaza.
Chicago Design Awards, 2017 Gold Winner, Architecture Mixed-Use: Navy Pier.
Offshore – Rooftop Bar at Navy Pier is a 2019 ALA Merit Winner.
2019 Merit Award for Navy Pier from PA-DE ASLA Chapter.
Navy Pier Phase 1 opened in May 2016 and is the first project to achieve Gold certification under the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) v2 rating system.

Chicago Navy Pier Wave Wall Project Collaborators:  
Design Architect and Architect of Record for the Wave Wall, Kiosks, Pavilions, and Info Tower by nARCHITECTS.

Interior Architecture for Wave Wall by Gensler Architects.  
Project Lead, Prime and Lead Landscape Architect, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design by James Corner Field Operations.  
Local Architectural Consultant: Epstein Global.
Structural Engineering: Buro Happold.
MEP & Civil Engineering: Primera Engineering.
Soils and Irrigation: Jeffrey Bruce and Company.
Local Landscape Architect: Terry Guen Design Associates.
Water Feature Design: Fluidity Design Consultants
Green Wall and Botanical Specialist: Patrick Blanc.
Grass Specialist: John Greenlee & Associates.
Event Planning: Chris Wangro
.
Envelope Consultant: Simpson Gumpertz Heger.
Architectural Commercial and Industrial Painting Coatings & Finishing: Tnemec
 
Lighting Design: L’Observatoire International.  
Graphic Design, Signage and Wayfinding: Pentagram
Industrial Design: Billings Jackson Design.
Traffic Engineering: Kimley-Horn.
Sustainability Consulting: RE:Vision
Collaborators Phase 2: Architect of Record: Gensler.  Structural: Thornton Tomasetti. MEP Engineering: ESD Global, Code: d’Escoto, Inc.

Contact MILLER+MILLER to discuss your project.  Visit our Portfolio section for a variety of image examples – and – click below for two featured projects: The Chicago Skyway or Crescent Dunes Solar both examples of unique, architectural structures photo projects.

chicago skyway toll bridge

Chicago skyway toll bridge

See images of our Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge Plaza Restoration shoot

Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project

Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project

View more examples of Unique, Landscape and Infrastructure Photography Projects


Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge & Plaza Restoration

chicago skyway toll bridge

Chicago skyway toll bridge

For behind the scenes + shoot details, visit the APALMANAC M+M feature:  Highway To The Danger Zone: Husband / Wife Team Ryan + Sarah Miller Pull Off Incredible Photos of the Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge

transportation steel bridges photography

transportation steel bridges photography

chicago-skyway-toll

Chicago Skyway Toll

transportation construction restoration

transportation construction restoration

restored-chicago-skyway-traffic-night

Restored Chicago skyway traffic night

Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge Plaza restoration

Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge Plaza restoration

chicago-roadway-infrastructure-photography

Chicago roadway infrastructure photography

toll-booth-chicago-skyway

Toll booth Chicago Skyway

chicago-civil-engineer-transportation-photos

Chicago civil engineer transportation photos

chicago-skyway-artistic-road-bridge-infrastructure-pictures

Chicago skyway artistic road bridge infrastructure pictures

chicago infrastructure photographer

chicago infrastructure photographer

led-red-neon-sign-stainless-steel

LED red neon sign stainless steel

roadway-sign-transportation

roadway sign transportation

 

skyway-art-deco-transportation-toll-canopy-restoration

skyway art-deco transportation toll canopy restoration

chicago-bridge-photographer

Chicago bridge photographer

aerial-pictures-expressway-toll-lanes-traffic

aerial pictures expressway toll lanes traffic

chicago-skyway-bridge

Chicago Skyway Bridge

industrial-chicago-bridge-photographer

Industrial Chicago bridge photographer

chicago-skyway-bridge-night

Chicago skyway bridge night

steel-bridge-night-transportation

steel bridge night transportation

Nationwide architectural photographers, we shoot a variety of structures and construction.  For this project, Miller+Miller had the opportunity to capture photography of the Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge, canopy, and plaza restoration photographing the toll road’s infrastructure construction completion in photographs.  Not long after the Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge & Plaza restoration’s construction completion, we scheduled photography of the famous iconic, neon sign gateway and high-bridge entrance into the city of Chicago. 

The marketing department from the Skyway inquired to Miller + Miller, looking to hire an architectural photographer to capture structural photography with photos showcasing the site’s update which preserved the original vintage art-deco design of the toll plaza structure and infrastructure photography highlighting the modern day new technological improvements. The architectural photography project incorporated a variety of shots including aerial drone photos, day, dusk images, and night photographs of the historic restoration of the Chicago Skyway plaza, LED toll lane signage, modern signs along the roadway, stainless steel tollbooth, steel canopy, neon letter signage, portraits of employees working in toll lanes, and scenic pictures of the high-bridge from the roadway for the organization’s press releases, marketing, website, and advertising photo needs. 

The project included photographing one of the Chicago area’s major transportation route and travel hubs.  The Skyway serves a link between roadways, tollways and expressways within Illinois, Indiana and Michigan midwestern states while traveling to downtown Chicago from the Southside.   The Chicago Skyway is a 7.8 mile long toll road built by the city of Chicago in 1958 to connect the Dan Ryan Expressway to the Indiana Toll Road.  In 2005, Chicago’s Skyway became the first U.S. privatization of a toll road in the country.  The Chicago Skyway Tollway is currently operated & maintained by the Skyway Concession Company, LLC and was purchased in 2016 by three Canadian Pension Funds – OMERS Infrastructure, CPP Investment Board, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.  

Since 2005, the Skyway Concession Company, LLC has invested over 120 million dollars on transportation industry improvements to the Skyway, including an expansive technology build-out to allow for electronic payment of tolls and ability of E-ZPass / I-PASS payment.  The ability to combine the sixty-year-old architecture of the canopy with the latest tolling technology is “a testament to the progressive and versatile nature of the original toll plaza design,” said Skyway Concession Company CEO in a statement to Curbed Chicago.  The Chicago Skyway canopy restoration project, led by SOM, carefully returns the structure to its original form while modernizing its tolling technology. Old cameras, antennae, and other attachments are replaced by new, streamlined technology for more convenient and efficient toll services, plus LED lighting, and easy-to-read digital signage.  According to SOM, the canopy design incorporates photovoltaic panels to provide 100 percent of the renewable clean energy required to run the toll plaza. As communications and transportation technology evolved, the toll plaza had been continuously retrofitted with new devices and fittings.  This recent modernization no longer was impeding service speed and traffic flow.  

The original 1958 construction design of the Skyway’s toll plaza canopy was described as “ultra-modern”. Architectural photographs of the renovation not only included highlighting infrastructure, but also architectural structural renovation design which kept the familiar toll plaza eye-catching mid-century design elements from the historic, original construction design. Car drivers along the roadway today are still invited with the 1958-styled, historic, classic red sign mounted neon letters which spell out “Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge” atop the historically modernized piece of elegant midcentury infrastructure.

In addition, the architectural photography shoot project included capturing day images and night photos of the 1⁄2-mile-long steel truss bridge, known as the “High Bridge” crosses the Calumet River and Calumet Harbor.  A major harbor for large-sized industrial ships, the Skyway bridge’s construction is an impressive 650 feet long and provides for 125 feet of vertical clearance. The photography shoot focused on angles of not only the Skyway’s soaring very HIGH overhead steel bridge & roadway, but also artistic road, expressway and infrastructure pictures with shots of the bridge incorporating the area views of the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Chicago skyline in the distance, and creative aerial drone photographs of the roadway transportation system.

Learn more about The Chicago Skyway at www.chicagoskyway.org.  The Skyway project’s architectural renovation design was led by Architect SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL LLP. Project engineer and civil engineering of the famed Chicago Skyway Bridge’s design and construction by contractors Beier Engineering. Miller + Miller Architectural Photography was thankful to photograph the renovation project providing marketing construction images of the updated Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge & Plaza Restoration project.  

Searching for a photographer to capture images for your organization’s marketing needs? Contact Miller + Miller with your project description.  Miller + Miller are Chicago-based, Nationwide traveling interior, architectural photographers, & UAS drone pilot licensed with commercial construction photography services abilities. Visit our Portfolio to view additional images or the quick links below:

Chicago Drone Photographer

View Our Drone Photography Images Portfolio Section

commercial-builder-architect-marketing-portfolio-images

See More Commercial Construction & Architect Marketing Photos


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