New pedestrian bridge in Streamwood will link paths divided by Route 59

Streamwood is dedicating and opening a long-awaited pedestrian bridge over Route 59, just north of Irving Park Road, at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The much-anticipated span has been in the works since the village’s last comprehensive plan revision in 2018, Village Manager Sharon Caddigan said. Residents and village officials recognized Route 59 as a barrier between sophisticated networks trails on both sides of the highway.

Planning and engineering began in 2020, and physical construction of the 2,100-foot-long bridge started in the spring.

A lengthy, gentle slope makes it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Total cost was $12 million, with 80% of it funded by grants and other sources from outside the village, Caddigan said. The rest was gradually saved for in anticipation of the construction without the need for additional resources.

“It’s a really cool engineering project,” she said. “What you see driving on Route 59 is the bridge structure. We’ve had some great engineers. It’s a wonderful community amenity.”

Streamwood Public Works Director Matt Mann agreed that the bridge maintains the aesthetic of the trails it’s connecting by passing above wetlands.

“From an engineering standpoint, it’s an interesting setting,” he said.

The bridge’s construction has been exclusively on village property, with great effort made to cause no permanent disruption to the wetlands.

On the other hand, the steel and concrete structure is intended to minimize long-term maintenance costs, Mann said. A wood boardwalk would have been less expensive to build but a constant pressure to maintain.

After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting Saturday, the bridge’s inaugural users will be club members of the Streamwood Biking organization.

Attendees are asked to RSVP to mayor@streamwood.org and stay tuned for additional details about the event.

Parking is available on the property west of the Chipotle Mexican Grill, 510 S. Sutton Road in Streamwood, near the entrance to the bridge.