Deerfield Mayor Urges Illinois Legislators to Back Dollars for At-Risk Kates Bridge Project

DEERFIELD, IL - Although construction to replace a crucial local bridge is slated to start in July, officials said Tuesday that the project — supported by federal funds that pass through the state — could be delayed in the absence of an Illinois budget.

The Kates Road Bridge was closed to all vehicular traffic last month after an inspection deemed it structurally deficient. Now, legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner must take action by June 30 or the its $2 million replacement will move to the back-burner, further inconveniencing drivers and passengers of the roughly 9,500 vehicles that normally access the bridge daily.

If a delay occurs, Kates Road Bridge renovations will join $1.36 billion worth of similarly postponed Illinois projects expected to receive federal pass-through funds, Deerfield officials said.

The local project was approved earlier this year for federal dollars, which cover about 80 percent of construction costs, according to a community alert. The village will foot the bill for the remaining 20 percent. No state money is included in the project since Illinois solely serves as a "pass-through" entity for the federal bills.

“The Kates Road Bridge serves as a critical route connecting Lake Cook and Waukegan Roads, linking neighborhoods with businesses districts and corporate office parks,” Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal said, in a news release. “Its closure impacts public safety response times and access to businesses and key regional employment centers. Minimizing the time the bridge is closed is in everyone’s best interest.”

Rosenthal said she's reached out to local legislators to urge them to support continued funding for the critical project. She is also urging other municipal and local government leaders, as well as those at the Northwest Municipal Conference and Illinois Municipal League, to press legislators throughout the state to continue pass-through appropriation authority after June 30 to avoid project delays and cost increases.

The Deerfield Village Board gave the IDOT-supported go-ahead in March to award a $2.01 million contract to fully reconstruct the Kates Road Bridge to Lorig Construction Company. The scope of work for the project includes replacing the bridge deck; grinding and resurfacing Pfingsten/Kates Road from Lake Cook Road to Waukegan Road; repairing any pavement failures; making minor drainage improvements and modernizing the traffic signals at Kates Road and Corporate 500 Drive.