Batavia bridge task force approved

Batavia bridge task force

A group of Batavia residents will study potential Fox River crossing locations in the city and make recommendations to the city council.

Batavia aldermen Tuesday approved the appointment of 11 people to serve on a bridge location task force to determine if a second bridge is needed in the community and where it might be built.

"We want them to take a long look at the entire length of the Fox River in Batavia," Mayor Jeff Schielke said.

The task force includes Charlene Johnson, 338 Locust St.; James Thoresen, 27 S. Mallory Ave.; Mark Dyer, 211 Union Ave.; Mary Andreas, 505 Main St.; Ron Pittman, 1024 S. Raddant Road; and Kathleen Olesuk, 1021 S. Harrison St.

The other members of the group are Susan Russo, 3 N. Jackson St.; Donald Lindman, 700 W. Fabyan Parkway; Sharon Stran, 519 Cleveland Ave.; Rob Hollis, 1108 Sara Court; and Mike Bergeron, 28 Woodland Hills Road.

Schielke said the group will have the latitude to make whatever recommendation it believes to be appropriate.

"Maybe they'll make a recommendation for a bridge site, or maybe they'll decide not to make a recommendation," Schielke said. "Maybe they'll say that none of the crossing sites work."

In 2000, Batavia voters were presented with two ballot questions relating to bridges. Voters approved a plan to help fund the replacement of the Wilson Street bridge, and that project is under way now.

But voters rejected a proposal to build a second bridge, designed to connect Webster Street on the east side with First Street on the west side, a block south of the Wilson Street crossing.

City officials examined four locations before settling on the Webster-to-First site but did not use a citizen task force as part of the process.

"Hopefully we learned from the happenings of the first go-round," Schielke said.

The 11 task force members were selected from a group of applicants after interviews with aldermen.

"This is a collective decision of myself and the city council," Schielke said.

The task force is expected to start meeting early next month.