New MCT Schoolhouse Trail Bridge Installed Over Highway IL-111 at Horseshoe Lake Road
GraniteCityGossip.com, April 27, 2026
PONTOON BEACH — A major regional trail project is now visibly underway as Madison County Transit (MCT) installs a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Illinois Route 111, directly at the Horseshoe Lake Road intersection.
The structure, which residents have watched rise over the past several days, is part of a formally announced MCT initiative to eliminate the dangerous at‑grade crossing on the Schoolhouse Trail and improve long‑term safety for trail users.
According to MCT’s official May 20, 2025 announcement, construction of the new IL‑111 bridge requires a full closure of the Schoolhouse Trail segment between Lake Drive and Bruns Road from July 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026.
The agency confirmed that the bridge is a dedicated trail overpass designed to remove the five‑lane highway crossing that previously forced cyclists and pedestrians to navigate fast‑moving traffic.
The project is one of several major trail upgrades MCT is undertaking across Madison County during the 2025–2026 construction season. The Illinois Business Journal reported the same closure dates and project scope, independently confirming that the IL‑111 bridge is a central component of MCT’s summer and fall infrastructure program.
GraniteCityGossip.com also published MCT’s July 22, 2025, announcement, which emphasized that the bridge would connect the Schoolhouse Trail between Lake Drive and Bruns Road and will serve as a signature feature of the countywide trail network once completed. The project is funded through a combination of local sources and a federal RAISE grant, with additional support from the Metro East Park and Recreation District.
Photos taken at the site show a large steel truss span being lifted into place by crane, with full road closures and detours in effect at the Horseshoe Lake Road intersection. The bridge’s design matches modern multi‑use trail overpasses used throughout the region, providing a safer, grade‑separated route for walkers, runners, and cyclists traveling between Pontoon Beach, Granite City, and the broader MCT trail system.
MCT advises trail users to monitor the MCT Trails Web Map for updates as construction progresses. With the bridge now visibly taking shape, residents can expect continued activity in the area as crews complete the approaches, decking, and final trail connections.
GraniteCityGossip.com will continue to follow the project and provide updates as the bridge moves toward its planned 2026 opening.
