To meet the needs of the 21st century, a modern steel girder bridge supporting 4 traffic lanes and a 10 foot wide regional trail was built. To meet the needs of river navigation, the bridge was built with a 410-foot main span soaring high over the water. Side spans of 300 feet and 360 feet flank the main span. The new bridge is purely functional with no decorative elements. The piers are large and blocky, designed to withstand the pressures of ice and barge strikes. The lighting consists of standard street lamps, and the guard rails are very typical for newer highway bridges in Illinois. Regardless of how interesting a structure looks, it has to function properly over the long haul. There is no doubt that the IL-47 bridge meets that goal.
There is good access under the north end of the bridge. The I&M Canal runs under the far north end of the bridge, along with the tow path trail. There is also a boat launch and city park between the canal and the Illinois River.