Will County Board Revives Bridge Proposal over Des Plaines River Valley

Will County Board members are again discussing the potential of constructing a new bridge over the Des Plaines River Valley. This idea was shelved four years ago due to lack of funding from the county and municipalities involved. As of 2022, the estimated cost for building the bridge and enhancing an 11-mile corridor through Crest Hill, Lockport, and Homer and Lockport Townships was around $617.6 million, a figure likely higher now, according to Jeff Ronaldson, director of the Will County Division of Transportation.

The project did not gain interest from the Illinois Department of Transportation and was financially unfeasible for local municipalities and townships. The county has been considering the Caton Farm-Bruce Road Regional Transportation Corridor for over 25 years, aiming to include a bridge over the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the Des Plaines River, and the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Discussions began in 2001, with several years spent evaluating various roadway alignments.

In 2022, the County Board took a step to convert the project into a planning and environmental linkages study. This decision serves as a formal hold, allowing officials to resume work without starting from scratch, although some data may now be outdated.

Numerous board members argue that renewed discussions are essential, especially with major construction planned for the 9th Street Bridge near downtown Lockport. Other east-west crossings over the Des Plaines River Valley are situated in Romeoville and Joliet. Board members acknowledge that a new bridge couldn’t be built before roadwork begins on the 9th Street Bridge but aim to tackle bottlenecks, travel delays, and rising traffic.

Traffic congestion poses a growing challenge, highlighted by Dave Oxley, a Lockport Republican, who expressed concerns about the impact on fire departments and paramedics situated on each side of the river. The board convened a special meeting on Thursday to restart discussions. Although no action was taken, Mark Revis, vice-chair of the Public Works and Transportation Committee, suggested either forming a committee to explore the project further or writing letters to state and federal lawmakers seeking funding.

This is a perfect opportunity for us to be bridge builders,” said Revis, a Plainfield Republican. “I’m not just talking about a physical bridge. I’m talking about us uniting the multiple municipalities, the units of government, the fire departments, park districts, forest preserves, businesses … behind a desire to alleviate the bottleneck of traffic that occurs on a regular basis in central Will County.

The proposed 11-mile corridor would connect U.S. Route 30, Gaylord Road, and Caton Farm Road in Crest Hill with Cedar Road and 159th Street in Homer Glen. For this project, approximately 157 acres would need to be acquired, affecting land used for agriculture, commercial, and residential purposes.

The corridor is lined with schools, businesses, forest preserves, churches, cemeteries, and more, making infrastructure improvements necessary on both sides of the river to facilitate traffic flow, explained Ronaldson.

Crest Hill Mayor Ray Soliman informed the board that the city’s stance from four years ago remains unchanged. The city cannot afford its share of the bridge and corridor improvements, especially as it finances another significant capital project to supply Lake Michigan water to its residents. Soliman expressed support for resumed talks but emphasized that either Will County or IDOT should sponsor the project.

Board members discussed potential ways to make the project feasible, focusing on financing and identifying responsible governmental entities. Steve Balich, a Homer Glen Republican, suggested exploring partnerships with the Illinois Tollway and considering a toll road scenario. Julie Berkowicz, a County Board Republican from Naperville, advocated for lobbying federal and state representatives for funding.

Democratic Leader Sherry Williams, from Crest Hill, raised concerns about the adverse effects on Lockport Township’s Fairmont community, where about 800 homes could be impacted. She mentioned worries about children crossing a new road potentially dividing the neighborhood. Revis concurred, ensuring that the Fairmont area should not be negatively affected.