No clear favorite in study for new Batavia bridge

Where is the best place to put a second local bridge in Batavia?

That depends on whether you want something that is best for the whole community or an option that specifically addresses traffic flow, property owner concerns or monetary issues.

The Citizens Advisory Committee on Additional River Crossings presented its 81-page conclusion to the Batavia City Council Monday night after working on the matter for two years. The report, and a PowerPoint presentation about it, will be available Tuesday morning on the city's Web site, cityofbatavia.net.

"There's no silver bullet. There's no right answer," said presenter Charlene Johnsos.

And the first thing the council should do, before picking a site, is determine whether a second bridge is needed at all, the committee recommended.

Of the eight crossings and their 16 potential corridors, the following topped the list ranked by the committee's point system:

• D1, Shumway Avenue to First Street, 3766 points

• C1, First Street to Webster Street, 3518 points

• Main Street/Shumway Avenue to Adams Street (at grade with embankment), 3377 points

• Main Street/Shumway Avenue to Adams Street (with land bridge), 3151 points

As two residents have resigned for personal reasons, the nine remaining residents took a methodical approach to carrying out the mission assigned to them, coming up with five categories of criteria to consider and 25 subcategories. Those categories and subcategories were assigned weights in importance. Committee members assigned ranks in each category, developing charts and graphs comparing how each option stacked up.

The top four, numerically, are only 800 points apart, a difference of less than 3 percent, she said. "There is not a separation that clearly identifies the winning horse, if you will," she told the council.

It did eliminate nine other potential crossings for various reasons.

One of the projects was too close to the existing Fabyan Parkway bridge to be of much benefit, and another bridge would have significantly affected Clark Island Park. Additionally, three would have adversely affected other parks and forest preserves, and yet another would have required moving the city's sewage treatment plant.

In 2000, Batavia voters overwhelmingly rejected a plan to build a bridge from First Street to Webster Street. The site was picked by the city council in an 8-6 vote.

Mayor Jeff Schielke said the council will have plenty of time to study the options because he doesn't believe there is any federal or state money to be had to help cover the cost. That's unlike the building of the new Wilson Street bridge in 2007, of which 87 percent was paid for by nonlocal money. The other option is to ask residents to fully foot the bill.

"I certainly do not have the heart or soul to do that," he said.

The report does not specify costs for each option. It does identify properties that would need to be acquired for each.

Council members did not comment on the report, other than to thank the commissioners for their efforts, saying they needed time to digest it. The community development committee will discuss it further on Jan. 26.

Report: Also an option is no new bridge