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Advocating for Chad Pregracke’s Bison Bridge

March 19, 2021
Bison Bridge - Interstate 80

Chad Pregracke has done it again. The Quad Citizen and Mississippi River champion who founded Living Lands & Waters announced a groundbreaking idea to put the Quad Cities on the map and draw people, investment and excitement to the region for years to come.

Pregracke and his newly formed Bison Bridge Foundation team have a plan to repurpose the Interstate 80 bridge over the Mississippi River into a wildlife crossing and pedestrian parkway called Bison Bridge. The ultimate goal is to secure National Park status for the bridge, which would feature a small herd of American bison on one span. Photo of people at a zoo looking at buffalo

The project's reveal comes as the Illinois Department of Transportation (I-DOT) is studying the future of the 55-year-old infrastructure and preparing to make decisions about the location and design of a new I-80 replacement bridge. With support from the Federal Highways Administration and the Iowa Department of Transportation, I-DOT is responsible for the study, design and construction of a new I-80 crossing.

The Quad Cities Chamber is a strong advocate for Bison Bridge because of its potential to help grow the region's population and economy, two of the Chamber's top goals for the coming decade. On March 19, Pregracke, two members of his team who previously worked for I-DOT and Ill. Sen. Neil Anderson discussed the project's benefits during a live, virtual event as part of the Chamber's Legislative Event Series. One of the interesting takeaways for Chamber members was the group's plan to fund this project with private dollars from donors across the country.

Quad Citizens who want to "join the herd" are encouraged to sign their name at BisonBridge.org. Additionally, business owners with storefronts are encouraged to help spread the word by purchasing a window sticker that says, "We support the Bison Bridge." (Orders no longer being taken.) The Foundation is hoping to generate 50,000 signatures to build a public case for making the Bison Bridge a reality.

In a personal message to Chamber members, Pregracke also asked interested business leaders ready to help push this project forward to reach out to his team.