Island Park bridge in Geneva gets federal money
The Geneva Park District is getting $729,000 in federal money toward the cost of replacing the north bridge at Island Park.
The Illinois Transportation Enhancement Grant was announced by Gov. Pat Quinn's office along with $89 million worth of other grants. The money is disbursed via the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The district began seeking state help in 2005. The total estimated cost is $1.04 million.
The bridge was built in 1931 by the Wilson Bros. firm of Geneva. The Wilson brothers were known for studying with architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
About 100,000 pedestrians and bicyclists travel over the bridge each year, the park district estimates. It is on the Fox River Trail and spans a channel of the Fox River. Park officials hope to build the new bridge in 2012.
The trail will be rerouted during construction. The district is still doing engineering work and has to obtain permits from several government agencies, including the Illinois Department of Transportation. Site preparation may begin in April 2012, but major construction won't happen until June 2012, after fish spawning season is over, said Sheavoun Lambillotte, the district's executive director.
One of the four piers is cracked and will be replaced, and one of the abutments will also be replaced. The much-patched concrete deck will be replaced. It was extensively damaged by water infiltration through cracks; as the trapped water froze, it expanded, cracking the deck more.
The new deck will have air pockets in the concrete for water to expand in without causing damage. Park district maintenance vehicles have been prohibited the past several years from using the bridge to enter the park.
The new bridge will be two feet wider and have bumpouts for pedestrians to stand in to enjoy the view of the park or get out of the way of bicyclists and park district and emergency vehicles.
The Geneva Historic Commission approved the design of the new bridge in November 2007. The park is in Geneva's historic district.
The district has not sought bids yet for the work.
The grant is financed by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, otherwise known as the federal transportation funding bill.
Several local projects received grants, including a streetscape project for downtown Batavia and a Randall Road pedestrian-and-bicycle underpass near Keslinger Road in Geneva.