Years of construction in 2 minutes: EarthCam's timelapse shows I-74 bridge start to finish

If you’ve taken a trip out to the Quad Cities the last few years, you’ve definitely noticed construction along the Mississippi River.

And now, it’s complete.

Drivers have been watching the construction of the new Interstate Highway 74 bridge since work began in 2017. Traffic started crossing the new bridge into Iowa in late 2020 and the Illinois-bound span was completed in December 2021. Crews spent 2022 tearing down the old bridge spans. The $1.2 billion project spans eight lanes. More than 80,000 vehicles use the bridge daily.

Through the multi-year process, EarthCam documented the construction with roughly 250,000 panoramas, creating a 4K time-lapse video.

"Webcams and live video feeds of construction on the I-74 River Bridge project have had a tremendous positive impact, allowing the public to appreciate and feel a part of the hard work that goes into building the structure,” Tracy Morse, President/CEO, Images, Inc. said in a news release.

More:These are Iowa's most endangered buildings in 2023

Adam Hensley is a digital producer with the USA Today Network. You can follow him on Twitter @A_Hens83 or reach him at ahensley@gannett.com.