September 07, 2024
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Montgomery hires engineering firm to design pedestrian bridge to span Route 30, link trails

By John Etheredge
The location of a proposed pedestrian bridge that would span Route 30 on the village of Montgomery's far west side is shown on the above map. The bridge would link developing trail networks on both sides of the highway and provide access to the Stuart Sports Complex. (Illustration provided by the village of Montgomery)

The location of a proposed pedestrian bridge that would span Route 30 on the village of Montgomery's far west side is shown on the above map. The bridge would link developing trail networks on both sides of the highway and provide access to the Stuart Sports Complex. (Illustration provided by the village of Montgomery)

The Montgomery Village Board has hired an engineering firm to prepare plans for a pedestrian bridge that would be built over busy Route 30 on the village’s far west side and link a developing network of trails on either side of the highway.

The Village Board voted unanimously Oct. 24 to hire Engineering Enterprises, Inc., of Sugar Grove at a cost of $216,452 for design engineering work for the proposed bridge that would span Route 30 in an area just west of Rebecca Circle on the highway’s south side and the Fox Valley Park District’s Stuart Sports Complex along the north side of the highway.

In a memo, Mark Wolf, the village’s director of public works, said the board has previously identified a pedestrian bridge that would span the highway as a “top priority” project for the village.

Peter Wallers, CEO and president of EEI, said the bridge will be designed to be wide enough to accommodate the eventual widening of the two lane highway to five lanes.

Under terms of its contract with the village, EEI will provide project management, coordination and administration for the bridge design work.

The design work will include environmental and drainage studies, public involvement and completion of preliminary and final project development reports.

Village President Matt Brolley said in following Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) requirements, EEI will have 18 months to complete its work.

During a Sept. 26 meeting, Wallers told the board the current estimated cost to construct the bridge is just over $3.4 million.

To cover that cost, the board, acting on a recommendation from Wallers, adopted a resolution authorizing village staff and EEI to seek a grant through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP).

Under the ITEP program guidelines, the grant, if approved, would provide an 80/20 split for the project cost between IDOT and the village up to $3 million.

Wallers has said the bridge would be similar to a pedestrian bridge installed in 2011 on the Virgil L. Gilman Trail that spans Galena Boulevard on Aurora’s far west side.

According to the village’s resolution, the proposed pedestrian bridge would provide a “direct connection for residents to the Stuart Sports Complex, Orchard Road retail area, Orchard Road Regional bike, Virgil Trail Gilman Regional Bike Trail, Village of Montgomery Police Department, McDole Elementary School, Lakewood Creek Elementary School, eight residential subdivisions and several public parks and forest preserve areas.

The resolution states that it commits the village to cover its share of preliminary engineering, design engineering, construction engineering and construction related expenses for the project.