Aurora signs off on work to rebuild Farnsworth bridge at I-88

Aurora City Council members have signed off on the city's portion - about $316,000 - of a $19 million Illinois Tollway Authority project to reconstruct the Farnsworth Avenue bridge over I-88.

The project began last month and is expected to continue through next year. It is the third upgrade of the interchange, which draws 30,000 vehicles daily. The latest two efforts have been prompted mainly by the success of nearby Chicago Premium Outlets, which recently expanded.

The new bridge will include a bike and pedestrian path and better lighting. Reconfigured ramps will give drivers exiting from eastbound I-88 a single ramp and intersection with traffic lights to head either direction on Farnsworth. Also, drivers heading west onto I-88 from Farnsworth will have a single ramp and signalized intersection when construction is completed.

The project is being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the city of Aurora, the Aurora Township Highway Department, DuPage and Kane Counties, local fire and police departments, as well as Chicago Premium Outlets.

First Ward Alderman Tina Bohman said the outlet mall's role was to help spread the word to customers that during the Farnsworth bridge construction, it would be best to exit I-88 onto Eola Road and enter the mall from the east, on Bilter Road.

"They've been happy to participate in that to take some burden off the Farnsworth exit," Bohman said.

The mall has more than 140 stores and 4,000 parking spaces.

The bridge will remain open to traffic during construction with traffic shifts and lane reductions.

Also, the bridge will be raised to meet tollway standards and lengthened to accommodate future improvements to I-88.

The project also includes installation of ramp queue detection equipment on I-88 to monitor congestion on the exit ramp to Farnsworth Avenue. When complete, the system will alert motorists to potential traffic backups ahead.

The Tollway authority has agreed to add include traffic signals and lighting as well as resurfacing Farnsworth Avenue to the intersections of Molitor Road and the Chicago Premium Outlets as part of the work.