Elgin takes first step toward replacing two downtown bridges
Elgin has taken its first steps down the long road to replacing a pair of downtown bridges.
The city council gave preliminarily approval Wednesday for engineering services through agreements with a pair of firms that will oversee the early phases of projects to reconstruct the Kimball and Chicago streets' bridges.
"This is really the first step in a pretty long journey to get these done," Public Works Director Mike Pubentz said.
Pubentz said they're tentatively planning on the Kimball Street bridge being rebuilt in 2026, and then doing Chicago Street afterward, though the order could be reversed based on planning delays. No matter what, construction won't be happening at the same time, he said.
"There would be pitchforks and torches in here," he said with a laugh.
Pubentz said planning for the two projects will happen simultaneously so there can be collaboration on aesthetics and to avoid duplicating efforts, such as surveying, hydraulic and environmental studies.
Alfred Benesch and Company was chosen for the Kimball Street bridge Phase I engineering services at a cost not to exceed $1,230,103. TranSystems Corporation will handle the same duties for the Chicago Street bridge for $736,307.
The total cost of reconstruction of the two bridges, including the Phase 1 contracts, is expected to be about $40 million, with state and federal funding anticipated to cover about 80% of the bill. The city will pay about $8 million.
Phase one of the projects, expected to take about two years, involves completing all engineering tasks, selecting the preferred design, getting environmental clearances and receiving final approvals from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.
Pubentz said they'll look at traffic control options during Phase 1, including whether to totally shut down the Kimball Street bridge during construction or keeping one half open, which would add to the timeline. Officials also will consider options in the event plans to remove the dam on the Fox River come to fruition during the time frame.
The Chicago Street bridge, a four-span continuous concrete, T-beam bridge, was built in 1939 and has been rehabilitated several times. On average about 4,500 vehicles per day traverse the bridge.
The Kimball Street bridge is an 11-span precast, prestressed concrete deck beam bridge that was completely reconstructed in 1977. The first bridge at the site was built in 1917. It sees more than 20,000 vehicles a day cross the Fox River.
Pubentz said both bridges still are "absolutely safe," though they were both deemed functionally obsolete and therefore qualified for state and federal funding.
The city's other two downtown bridges at Highland Avenue and National Street do not yet qualify.