Red, White and Blue Bridge among La Salle County projects slated for work in 2023

The Red, White and Blue Bridge that carries County High 57 over the Vermilion River east of Leonore will be getting replaced in 2023.

The La Salle County Board approved its County Highway Improvement program in a meeting Monday afternoon, which includes the Red, White and Blue Bridge getting replaced along with the Little Indian Creek bridge, the Pecumsaugan Creek bridge and a bridge in Otter Creek township.

Other projects included in the program include seal coating projects, graveling shoulders and culvert replacements and linings.

County Engineer Don Ernat said Red, White and Blue Bridge will be closed for around a year to a year and a half while it’s being replaced.

Total cost of replacing the bridge will be $5,465,000, although the county’s portion of that is $1,093,000. The federal government is covering the rest of the project.

The total cost of the projects approved Monday is $18,389,612. That covers 26 separate projects.

Also approved during the meeting was seven bridge maintenance projects across the county totaling a cost of $723,000.