Neighbors fear Palatine will remove pedestrian bridge

An aging concrete bridge that connects Stuart R. Paddock School to the homes on the south side of Salt Creek in Palatine may be removed, replaced or repaired later this year, concerning neighbors who say the bridge is important to their community.

Assistant Palatine Village Manager Michael Jacobs said the bridge, which is located on South Rose Street north of West Kenilworth Avenue, received minor repairs, but needs more significant maintenance down the line.

The bridge's fate is in the hands of the village council. Jacobs said one likely factor in the council's decision is the presence of another pedestrian bridge across Salt Creek just 600 feet to the east on South Smith Street.

“Replacing (the Rose Street) bridge could be hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Jacobs said. “We've got to consider the benefit, because there's another bridge eight houses away.”

Drew Carlsen, who has lived on the 200 block of South Maple Street for 36 years, said the Rose Street bridge gets significant use. He and his neighbors hope the village replaces it, instead of removing it. “We figure that around 100 people use the bridge every day,” Carlsen said. “At peak times, when there are events, more. There is a lot that goes on around here.”

Carlsen said the Smith Street bridge, located eight houses to the east, is adequate, but the Rose Street bridge is important to the neighborhood.

“A lot of people moved in here because they have such easy access to the train to commute to work,” Carlsen said. “I've heard them say they're going to lose property value if the bridge were removed because they wouldn't have such a quick walk.”

Patrick Sweeney, who has lived on 300 block of West Helen road for 30 years, said there are a few young families who moved into the neighborhood in part because their children would have easy access to Paddock School using the Rose Street bridge.

Sweeney said he would like to see the old concrete bridge removed and replaced by a small pedestrian bridge, similar to the one on Smith Street.

“Right now it is a very wide bridge on the end of the street,” Sweeney said. “It could just be the creek there flowing by with a small bridge over it. We don't need hundreds of thousands of dollars in concrete.”

Jacobs said a consultant is working on a report on the bridge's status, and there are several more steps to come before the village takes any action. A decision is not likely until the fall, he said.

“It's not like it's going to come down tomorrow,” Jacobs added. “We have to gather all of the information and then the council can make a decision.”