I-74 Bridge Webcam, Bettendorf, Iowa

The I-74 Bridge Webcam looks out from Bettendorf, Iowa, across the Mississippi River to the twin steel arches that carry Interstate 74 over to Moline, Illinois. The City of Bettendorf runs the camera, and it frames the bridge side on, so the long curve of the arches, the cables dropping to the deck and the moving line of headlights all sit above a wide stretch of water. After dark the arches are lit in shifting colors, and those colors spill across the water as long reflections. A second tab on this page shows the city’s Duck Creek camera, which watches a creek elsewhere in the city so staff can follow the water level after heavy rain.

About the I-74 Bridge in Bettendorf

Officially named the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge, the crossing is a pair of basket-handle through arches, meaning the two arch ribs lean in toward each other over the roadway. The main span over the navigation channel measures 242 meters (795 feet), and with fourteen approach spans each bridge runs about 1,049 meters (3,440 feet). Each carries a roadway 22 meters (72 feet) wide, eight lanes in all, and together they handle around 80,000 vehicles a day on Interstate 74 and US Route 6. Builders describe the roughly 244 meter (800 foot) arches as the longest basket-handle true arches erected in the United States.

The new bridge replaced two suspension spans that opened in 1935 and 1959. The first new span opened on November 13, 2020, the same day the old spans closed for good, and the second followed on December 2, 2021. Demolition of the old bridges ran until 2024, with the last implosion on the Illinois side on February 18, 2024. One original pier from each old span was kept and lit as a navigation marker. A multi-use path for walkers and cyclists opened on April 27, 2022, and the whole project, approaches included, came to about 1.2 billion dollars.

Bettendorf itself sits at 203 meters (666 feet) above sea level in Scott County and had 39,102 residents at the 2020 census. It was incorporated in 1903 and named for William and Joseph Bettendorf, brothers who moved their iron wagon works to the site, absorbing the older villages of Lilienthal and Gilbert. Together with Davenport, Moline, Rock Island and East Moline, it makes up the Quad Cities.

What Can You See on the Duck Creek Camera?

The second camera points at Duck Creek near Middle Road. The city says the stream exists mainly to monitor the creek’s water level, especially during and after major rain events, so it is a working camera rather than a scenic one. The frame takes in a concrete headwall, an outfall pipe, a railed path above and wooded banks. After a storm the same view can show the creek running high and brown, which is exactly the moment it was set up to catch.

Weather and Climate in Bettendorf

Bettendorf has four sharp seasons. January is the coldest month, with typical lows around minus 11 C (13 F) and highs near minus 2 C (29 F), and in a hard winter the I-74 Bridge Webcam can show snow on the approaches and ice drifting down the channel. Spring brings the rain. Annual precipitation is about 860 millimeters (34 inches), and the city deals with stormwater runoff every year, which is why a camera on Duck Creek exists at all.

Summer is warm and humid, with July averaging lows near 18 C (65 F) and highs around 29 C (85 F). Towboats pushing barges can pass under the arches through the navigation channel, and afternoon thunderstorms can darken the sky over Moline. Autumn is often the clearest season on camera, with crisp mornings, turning leaves on the Duck Creek banks and long evenings when the bridge lights come on over calm water.

Things to Do Near Bettendorf

The bridge is a destination on foot as well as by car. Its multi-use path links Bettendorf and Moline, so you can walk or cycle across the Mississippi alongside the traffic you see on camera. On the Iowa bank, the Riverfront Trail runs 22.9 kilometers (14.2 miles) from Credit Island in Davenport to just east of Bettendorf in Riverdale, passing Leach Park with its boat launch, benches and picnic tables. Duck Creek Parkway Trail, a paved path of about 19.6 kilometers (12.2 miles), follows Duck Creek through Davenport and Bettendorf. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, the Channel Cat Water Taxi links landings on both sides of the river seven days a week.

For families, The Family Museum in Bettendorf is designed for children eight and under, with a water-play table about 8.5 meters (28 feet) long built around the Mississippi, plus a maker space and an art room. Middle Park has an 18-hole disc golf course, the Splash Landing aquatic park in summer and the Frozen Landing ice rink from late November through February. Across the bridge, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, founded in 1905, is the second-oldest museum of the United States Army and holds more than 1,200 small arms.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the I-74 Bridge located?

The I-74 Bridge crosses the Mississippi River between Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline, Illinois, in the Quad Cities. The river here forms the state line between Iowa and Illinois.

What can you see on the I-74 Bridge Webcam?

The camera shows the twin arches of the bridge from the Bettendorf side, with the Mississippi below and the traffic lanes crossing to Illinois. At night the arches are lit in changing colors that reflect on the river.

What is the weather like in Bettendorf?

Winters are cold, with January ranging from about minus 11 C to minus 2 C (13 to 29 F). Summers are warm, with July highs near 29 C (85 F). Around 860 millimeters (34 inches) of precipitation falls in a typical year.

When did the new I-74 Bridge open?

The first of the two arch spans opened on November 13, 2020, and the second on December 2, 2021. The path for pedestrians and cyclists opened on April 27, 2022.

Can you walk across the I-74 Bridge?

Yes. A multi-use path for walkers and cyclists runs across the bridge between Bettendorf and Moline and connects to trails on both banks.

What happened to the old I-74 Bridge?

The two old suspension spans from 1935 and 1959 closed in November 2020 and were taken down in stages through 2024, with the final implosion on February 18, 2024. One pier from each was left standing and lit for river traffic.

Why does Bettendorf have a camera on Duck Creek?

The city uses the Duck Creek camera to watch the creek’s water level, especially during and after heavy rain, when the creek can rise quickly.

Source: City of Bettendorf, Iowa