Grand Tower Pipeline Bridge

The Grand Tower Pipeline Bridge is a suspension span connecting Illinois and Missouri across the Mississippi River, featuring two steel towers about 266 feet tall. It carries two large pipes side by side for natural gas transport across the river.

This span opened in 1955 as the first pipeline suspension bridge ever built across the Mississippi, designed and constructed by a major New York bridge builder. It emerged during an era when America was rapidly expanding its energy networks after the war.

This structure symbolizes post-war industrial growth in America, linking communities while supporting energy flow between distant regions. It shows how infrastructure connected two states economically and shaped development on both banks.

Access is limited since this is an active industrial structure primarily designed for gas transport rather than public crossing. Visitors can view it from nearby areas, but direct foot or vehicle traffic on the bridge is restricted.

This span is unusual because it carries two large pipes on a single suspension structure, a rare design choice for crossing such a major river. The anchoring system extends far into the riverbed to manage the substantial stresses from carrying pressurized gas continuously.

Location: Illinois

Location: Missouri

Inception: 1955

Official opening: 1955

GPS coordinates: 37.64190,-89.51750

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:40