By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com
AURORA — The City celebrated the end of five-year journey of planning, permitting engineering and constructing the Indian Trail bridge with a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 16, which included the mayor, dignitaries and the public.
“Indian Trail really is an artery in our community . . . that is a critical, critical street,” Mayor Tom Weisner explained.
Eighty percent of the $9.5 million project was funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation Highway Bridge Program fund. The remaining 20 percent was paid for using local motor fuel tax funds.
Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, center, along with officials, celebrate the Oct. 16 opening of the Indian Trail bridge. Originally constructed in 1963, the bridge was in much needed repair. More than 21,000 vehicles travel across the bridge each day. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner said in 1963, when the Indian Trail bridge was first being constructed, he rode his bike past the bridge construction on his way to Marmion Academy, then located on Lake Street. The bridge opened to traffic Oct. 16. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
Aurora’s Director of Public Works Ken Schroth said there were 40,000 man hours needed to construct the bridge, and nearly 10,000 hours of design engineering an supervision.
He explained millions of dollars were saved after the bridges existing piers, and majority of its steel were reused. Despite weather-related delays, the project was completed on time through the efforts of D Construction.
The bridge now has wider sidewalks, outside lanes to help facilitate bicycle traffic and LED lighting. Residents who ride ebikes and traditional bicycles will feel much safer when new bike trails are opened for them.
In the past 10 years, the City of Aurora has rebuilt 10 bridges. Weisner said nationally, out of every nine bridges in the nation is considered structurally deficient. Even if that is the national statistic, Weisner said that number won’t be seen in Aurora. “Not on our watch,” he added. “You cannot ignore infrastructure. If you do that, you do it at great cost to the community, and to the future of your community.”
Officials, including Reps. Linda Chapa-LaVia and Stephanie Kifowit, Sen. Linda Holmes, and Rep. Bill Foster collectively thanked the taxpayers of Aurora, who, through their tax dollars, funded the motor fuel tax.
“Without the tax dollars [taxpayers] pay into the coffer of the state of Illinois, we would not be standing on this amazing, beautiful bridge. The taxpayers make the blood pump within the hearts that exist in this community,” Chapa LaVia explained.