Evanston To Begin Final Stage Of Central Street Bridge Replacement Project Feb. 28

Press release from the City of Evanston:

02/24/2022 11:42 AM

In coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the City of Evanston is replacing the Central Street Bridge over the North Shore Channel. The final stage of the project will begin the week of February 28.

The scope of the project includes removal, replacement and widening of the existing bridge structure. The new bridge will be constructed from the bottom up, including pile foundations, piers, columns, abutments, wing walls, and a wider bridge deck accommodating bicycles, pedestrians and golf carts. New street lighting will be installed within the project limits, and the existing crosswalk at Bryant Avenue will be upgraded.

Project Schedule

During construction of the northern half of the bridge, two-way traffic will be maintained on the newly constructed south half of the bridge. Once the north section of the bridge is complete, the restoration work in the Canal Shores Golf Course, including a new fence and signage, is planned for late summer this year. The entire project, including street paving, tree planting and landscaping, is expected to be complete by September or October 2022.

During construction, one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained on Central Street. Access to Fire Station #3, Evanston North Shore Hospital and Canal Shores Golf Course will be available at all times. The construction activities will create some inconveniences for the adjacent businesses and residents, but the City will attempt to minimize these issues. Construction zone “No Parking Any Time” will be in effect on the bridge for the duration of the bridge replacement project.

Background

The Central Street Bridge replacement project began in November 2019 setting up the staging area and installing sheet piling along the access drive for Fire Station No. 3. The replacement of the bridge began in February 2021 with demolition of the south half of the existing bridge. The construction of the south half of the new bridge was completed in 2021.

Contractor

The contractor for this project is Copenhaver Construction Inc., located at 75 Koppie Dr., Gilberts, IL.

City Monitoring

The City has retained Stanley Consultants Ltd. to monitor the project. For questions or concerns during construction, please contact Resident Engineer Mark Gemmel at 773-391-1437. Questions in general about the Central Street Bridge Project should be directed to Senior Project Manager Sat Nagar, P.E., at 3-1-1 or at 847-448-4311.

This press release was produced by the City of Evanston. The views expressed here are the author’s own.