St. Charles officials OK Red Gate Bridge project

St. Charles officials declared their No. 1 priority for 2010 basically a done deal Monday night as all signs point to construction on the Red Gate Bridge project beginning sometime in 2011.

City officials said Monday the environmental impact review is over. Both the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Authority have signed off on the project, they said. Even better, IDOT and Kane County committed about $10 million to the construction of the project.

The Illinois Transportation Enhancement Project will kick in another $700,000. Those funds will combine with $6 million the city has slowly socked away for the bridge.

That adds up to about $16.7 million. The total cost for the bridge is projected at $18 million to $22 million.

The city plans to borrow whatever remaining funds are needed to complete the project by issuing bonds. It will then repay the bonds over the next 20 years by using the same method in which it accumulated the $6 million it has now.

Every year for longer than even Finance Director Chris Minick has been around the city sets aside 7 percent of the taxes it levies to the general fund for the bridge. The general fund is the major checkbook for the city, and pays for most costs, including employee salaries.

Seven percent works out to about 5 of every 73 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation on local homes the city charges. The 7 percent also nets about $800,000 a year for the bridge.

The next step is preparing contract plans and specs to prepare for public bidding on the construction work.

The city council's Government Operations Committee voted unanimously Monday night to spend $1.73 million to hire Alfred Benesch & Co. for the Phase II engineering that will get the project to the contract phase.

Public Works Director Mark Koenen said hiring the firm will ensure the project begins construction in 2011. The bridge will take about two years to build.

City officials believe the Red Gate Bridge will combine with the soon-to-be completed Stearns Road Bridge to reduce traffic congestion in the area by 20 percent.