Lake Bluff, Lake Forest preparing for massive bridge repairs

Massive repairs are on the horizon for two popular bridges in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, said officials.

The respective boards of directors are preparing to replace the Lake-Woodbine Lake Forest Lake Pont as well as Green Bay Road and the Lake Bluff bridge in projects from next year.

In Lake Forest, city officials are intended for several years for the replacement of the Lake Woodbine bridge, which was built in 1912 and rehabilitated in 1977.

“This is the city’s most critical bridge project,” said municipal director Jason Wicha at the municipal council meeting on June 16.

While a design for a new bridge was previously selected, the project was blocked last year when the construction offers arrived higher than expected, according to the Superintendent of Engineering Byron Kutz. However, he told the municipal council on June 16 that the City had recently learned of the approval of a second subsidy from the Illinois State which compensates for some of the expected costs.

The City now has a total of $ 3.68 million guaranteed for a project, providing for a cost of approximately $ 5 million. The city will finance the balance.

However, Kutz warned that the price could change due to inflation, market volatility and the possibility of prices.

“There is still a certain uncertainty on the market,” he said.

Kutz has described two ways to rebuild the bridge, and the staff recommended a “pre-finished” option where a large part of the concrete work would be done off-site, as opposed to a “casting” possibility where the components of concrete work would be carried out on deck.

He said that the “prefabricated” cost would be about $ 105,000 more than the “casting in place”, but it would allow the project to be completed next year rather than waiting until 2027 or 2028.

The members of the municipal council did not take official vote, but approved the prefabricated idea.

“It could delay it even further, and we have a critical asset that must be replaced,” said alderman Richard Walther, 4th.

“Doing this thing should be the priority,” added the first Nancy Novit scale, 1st. “Over $ 105,000.”

The municipal council should now examine the costs later this year as part of the global capital improvement project, said city spokesperson Dana Olson.

“The detour routes will be communicated before the start of construction,” said Olson.

Meanwhile, in Lake Bluff, on June 9, the administrators unanimously approved an agreement with other government agencies which will save part of the existing structure of the Green Bay road bridge for historical reasons and will create an exhibition by the road.

The bridge was built in 1934 and rebuilt for the last time in 1988, according to the village engineer Jeff Hansen.

It was a small part of a global project which will lead to serious restrictions on the road to Green Bay very traveled next year, said Hansen.

In 2027, the road should be closed in the second phase of replacement of the road and the bridge.

The cost of approximately $ 7.5 million will be divided between the village and the state.

With the planned road work, certain areas of Lake Bluff will be difficult to reach for the village police, the Lake Forest police should provide help.

“The LFPD officers will respond, stabilize and help them until one or more Lake Bluff police officers arrive on the scene,” said Lake Forest police chief John Burke in an email.

Irvin said the village had planned a community meeting at the public security building for Wednesday, July 30, where local officials will be available to answer questions about the next project.

Daniel I. Dorfman is an independent journalist for Pioneer Press.