By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
At a meeting of the Elmhurst City Council held last October, a measure was passed to move forward with a pedestrian/bicycle bridge to be constructed over Route 83 just north of North Avenue. The Public Works and Building Committee (PWB) presented a recommendation to approve a funding resolution grant request for the Illinois Route 83 Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Project.
The City’s request for funding was related to the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP). As part of the ITEP grant application, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) requires that any community applying for federal grant money must have funds reserved or appropriated to cover that community’s share of the project costs. In this case, the City’s share is expected to be $400,000.
Last week, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) announced a state investment to construct the bike and pedestrian path in Elmhurst. The funds will come from the Rebuild Illinois program.
“Bike paths provide a safe public space for residents, families and visitors to be physically active and enjoy the outdoors,” Glowiak Hilton said in a statement. “This major investment will allow residents to enjoy even more opportunities for safe transportation and recreation, as well as attract visitors to our area.”
She said the most notable project in the 24th District includes $198,000 to build a pedestrian overpass crossing Route 83 in Elmhurst.
Rebuild Illinois is awarding $105.7 million to 99 projects statewide, including recreational paths and trails, through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program.
About the project
The pedestrian/bicycle overpass bridge over Route 83 is meant to help unify the community and create a non-motorized connection to other communities and adjacent bicycle trails, while providing a safe alternative to an at-grade crossing, deemed too dangerous especially for pedestrians.
At the time last October, Alderman Bob Dunn (2nd) noted that it made no sense to postpone the project. He expressed how the project would link north Elmhurst to the greenspace along the Salt Creek Greenway Trail on the west side of Route 83. At this time, there is virtually no safe way to cross Route 83 north of North Avenue.
“We would be foolhardy not to move forward with it,” Dunn said.
