Park District Moves Forward with Jefferson Street Pedestrian Bridge Repairs, Thanks to Illinois IDOT Grant

The Rockford Park District was notified by the Illinois Department of Transportation that the Jefferson Street Pedestrian Bridge project was approved to receive an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) Grant. The ITEP Grant received is in the amount of $2 million, and will help fund repairs needed for the Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge over the Rock River near downtown Rockford. For multiple years, Rockford Park District has been completing annual inspections of the Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge, and has made minor repairs when needed. An evaluation completed in November 2015 revealed additional deterioration, so to err on the side of caution, the District decided to close the pedestrian bridge, and it remains closed to date. Total cost to remove and replace the pedestrian bridge is estimated to be $2.5 million. Over the last five years, approximately $500,000 from the Rockford Park District’s capital improvements program has been set aside in anticipation of the repairs. The ITEP Grant will allow the District to proceed with the design and engineering, the next phase of the project. The ITEP Grant provides funding for community based projects that expand travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historic, aesthetic and environmental aspects of our transportation infrastructure. The ITEP is designed to promote and develop alternative transportation options, including bike and pedestrian travel, along with streetscape beautification. In all, Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge repairs are expected to take two years to complete. The project completion date is 2019. “The Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge was among 241 different transportation projects requesting money for a specific need. We are thrilled to be selected, as this is one of the highest grants the Rockford Park District has ever received,” said Laura Williamson, Capital Planning and Management Director.

About the Jefferson Street Pedestrian Bridge

Rockford Park District opened the Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge in June 1988. The District received a Build Illinois Grant from the state of Illinois for $700,000, which covered 50% of the total construction cost of $1.6 million. In all, the Rockford Park District has 15 pedestrian bridges, and has been replacing them throughout the years due to wear and tear from snow removal operations. The District’s bridge inspection program has helped to identify needed repairs, which in recent years included Martin Park Bridge and Riverside Bridge. The anticipated life expectancy of the bridges that were installed at the recreation paths is 40-50 years. However, particularly with the Jefferson Street pedestrian bridge, building materials used during that period of time, along with the winter snow removal process, have advanced the deterioration. The District has also revamped maintenance practices to adopt more sustainable practices to extend the life of new pedestrian bridges. For example, the District limits salt usage on pedestrian bridges unless safety is an issue, and most pedestrian bridges were replaced with concrete decks instead of steel and wood. Newer pedestrian bridges such as the one along Riverside Blvd. were also suspended alongside the vehicular bridge instead of underneath.