It will cost more next year for vehicles to cross a nearly mile-long toll bridge in southeast Iowa.
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway maintains the bridge, which connects Fort Madison to Illinois. It has a lower deck for trains and an upper deck for two lanes of vehicle traffic. The railroad says maintenance costs for the bridge exceed tolls. On January 1, the toll for cars and pickups will increase from $2 to $3. Buses will pay $7.50 and tolls will increase for all other types of vehicles, including cars and pickups that are towing a trailer. Another increase is planned for January 1st of 2025.
The railroad says toll fees to cross the Fort Madison bridge haven’t been raised since 2012.
The Fort Madison Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened to traffic in 1927.