Elgin's Kimball Street bridge to close for a week

The Kimball Street bridge in downtown Elgin will be closed beginning Wednesday through Oct. 27 so Metra officials can replace railroad tracks on the west side of the bridge, officials said.

Metra is scheduled to wrap up work on the tracks on McLean Boulevard just south of Big Timber Road on Tuesday before heading to the Kimball area.

“This is a Metra job, not a city job, said David Lawry, the city's public services director.

Motorists will be detoured around downtown as Kimball will be closed at Route 31 and North Grove Avenue near the Centre.

The city also will temporarily halt work on Highland Avenue to give motorists another route through downtown.

In the meantime, city crews have added large asphalt patches to the Kimball Street bridge and will be sealcoating it while it is closed.

“We're trying to buy time to get us through the winter season, Lawry said. “The bridge deck will be resurfaced next year.