Kane Co. backs another bridge contract

A month after signing off on $3.9 million in engineering and construction contracts for the project, the Kane County Board's transportation committee Monday recommended approving another $2.3 million for additional engineering work.

The contract with Chicago-based Alfred Benesch and Co. would be for the second phase of engineering for the third stage of the project, which includes realigning the intersection of Stearns/Dunham Road and Route 25, building the bridges over Brewster Creek and rerouting the bike path.

The company will devote 22,000 hours to the work starting in January and ending in early 2009, according to the agreement.

The transportation committee also recommended approving a $98,000 agreement with the Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad Co. The Stearns Road bridge project includes constructing a bridge over the railroad tracks and the county is required to reimburse the railroad for the cost of hiring flaggers to direct traffic around the tracks during construction.

Last month the committee OK'd a $3.4 million contract with Chicago-based Baker Engineering Inc. for the second phase of engineering for the fourth stage of the project, which includes the main four-lane bridge over the Fox River. That contract was approved by the county board two weeks ago.

The $150 million project is being engineered and constructed in stages.

The full county board is scheduled to vote on both contracts next month.

The bridge, located in St. Charles Township, is scheduled to open to traffic in late 2010.