Elgin’s Kimball Street Bridge won’t be as eye-catching as San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, but it could end up having a signature design that makes it stand out in the Fox River Valley.
The city’s in the planning stages of replacing both that and the Chicago Street Bridge within the next five years. While the latter must essentially remain the same because it’s considered a local historical landmark, the city has some latitude with the Kimball bridge.
It can be rebuilt as a standard bridge or be designed to have a “signature” look.
A standard bridge uses steel plate or concrete girders that rely on large beams to support the deck. This is the most common type, Public Works Director Mike Pubentz said.
Another option employs a steel through truss, like the Eads Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri, Pubentz said at a recent Elgin City Council meeting. Or they could go with one that uses a tied/true arch, which is becoming more popular, or one that is cable stayed, with one or multiple towers from cables are strung to support the deck structure.
A suspension bridge, like the Golden Gate bridge, could be considered but it’s not an optimal choice, he said. At just 450 feet, there might not be enough length for it to work in Elgin, he said.
“We need to consider the feasibility of each,” Pubentz said.
Whichever design the council chooses, the city can include decorative additions — overlook decks, custom railing, under-deck lighting and colored concrete — that enhance its visual appeal, he said.
“Before finalizing the inclusion of those elements, we will want to determine the final bridge type and add decorative elements to it as we refine the overall design,” Pubentz said in an interview this week.
Depending on the bridge style and accoutrements chosen, the final cost could range from $22 million to $75 million, he said.
The most expensive would be the suspension bridge, which Councilman Anthony Ortiz said at the meeting that he liked the most other than for its cost.
Councilwoman Tish Powell said she could support one that had lighting and an overview platform because it could add some festivity to downtown’s appearance at night.
Consultants are “currently refining conceptual plans for a variety of the examples we shared with the council, including steel-and-concrete girder, cable-stayed and arch designs,” Pubentz said. “We anticipate having a follow up discussion with the council in November or December.”
Ideally, a design concept will be selected by year’s end with an eye toward construction starting in 2028.
The rebuilt Kimball Street Bridge will have a new lane configuration. Westbound, a right-turn lane will be added for vehicles wanting to exit onto northbound Route 31. In the other direction, one lane will go to Laurence Avenue and a left-turn lane will route traffic onto southbound Route 31.
The structure itself will be relocated slightly to the north to smooth out the alignment with Laurence Avenue. It will include a barrier median, a new sidewalk on the north side and an underpass for the Fox River Trail.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
