Elgin has hired an engineering firm to start the work needed to repair the National Street bridge over the Fox River, which an Illinois Department of Transportation inspection shows is structurally deficient but still functional.
The bridge receives biannual inspections to ensure it maintains a structural integrity level sufficient for safe usage, City Manager Rick Kozal said at last week’s council meeting.
“While the bridge meets requirements for safe travel, a comparison of recent inspections indicates increased deterioration in the overall bridge condition,” Kozal said.
Staff is recommending rehabilitation work be done to extend the bridge’s “useful life” by 10 to 15 years, which will give Elgin time to start planning for a future bridge replacement project, he said.
IDOT last inspected the bridge in 2024 and found the superstructure — the upper part of the bridge that supports traffic — to be in “fair condition with minor section loss and cracks,” according to the inspection.
The substructure, or the portion that supports the deck where piers and abutments are located, is also in fair condition. The deck is in “poor condition with advanced deterioration,” the agency said.
It was determined the span is not functionally obsolete.
A preliminary engineering analysis showed the need to remove and replace the bridge sidewalks and railings and repair the pier and abutment concrete and bridge girder concrete, according to city documents.
HR Green Inc. has been hired for $179,974 to complete the design work needed by April. Elgin officials said they anticipate seeking construction bids this spring.
If all goes according to plan, construction would start in June and be finished in November.
No cost estimate for the total project is available.
Elgin officials said they also plan to look at two railroad crossings between the National Street bridge and Route 31 to see if new pavement markings and advance driver notifications will improve safety in light of concerns raised by residents, according to city documents.
National Street bridge carries about 6,900 motorists across the Fox River daily. It was built in 1949 and has been rehabilitated several times, the last being in 2017, documents said.
It’s one of four downtown bridges, with the others being on East Chicago Street, Highland Street and Kimball Street. Elgin has plans to replace the Kimball and Chicago Street bridges.
The city has completed about 70% of Phase I engineering for the Kimball Street bridge, used by about 20,000 motorists daily. Phase II is to start this year. Design plans were unveiled at public hearings last year and construction tentatively set to start in 2028.
Phase I engineering for the East Chicago Street bridge is also being done. Construction could start in 2029.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
