Red Gate Road Bridge work begins

A who's who of local politicians marked the start of construction Thursday on a project critics have dubbed a “bridge to nowhere” by agreeing the Red Gate Road Bridge will indeed get motorists somewhere.

Federal, state, county and St. Charles officials all gathered at the construction site just across Route 31 from St. Charles North High School. The bridge has been a thought for nearly 40 years, officials said. And all those years of scrutiny only paved the way for a project that is sure to pay dividends in less traffic congestion and better commutes for the growing local population.

“I don't believe there's ever been another project in the entire county that for decades has been more studied and scrutinized, opposed, supported, folded, stapled, spindled, mutilated than this Red Gate Bridge project,” St. Charles Mayor Don DeWitte said.

DeWitte pointed to another bridge in town, on Prairie Street, that also had a bevy of opponents all the way up to its construction. DeWitte said the Prairie Street bridge was also called the “bridge to nowhere” at the time.

“That bridge to nowhere now carries in excess of 10,000 vehicles today that must be going somewhere,” DeWitte said.

He pointed out that every candidate who's run for political office in St. Charles on a platform opposing the Red Gate Road Bridge has lost. Indeed, even politicians with an entire community opposed to the project spoke in support of the bridge Thursday.

State Rep. Randy Ramey represents Wayne, which sits on the other side of the future Red Gate Road Bridge from St. Charles. Wayne officials have repeatedly opposed the bridge, as have organized groups of Wayne residents.

“As you look into what it's going to help in this community, you can't help but say, ‘Yes, it's gotta be done,'” Ramey said.

With redistricting, Ramey said it's likely he will represent a set of constituents farther to the east, away from residents closest to the bridge.

The $30 million bridge will feature a pedestrian walkway under the traffic deck that will connect existing trails that run through the Kane County Forest Preserve District. St. Charles has $7 million in the bank for the project. That amount is funded through as special property tax levy that nets about $800,000 a year specifically for the bridge.

The bridge is expected to be open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic by November 2012.