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With the warmer weather taking hold in the area, it brings into focus area projects for Kankakee County.
At the May 15 Highways, Waterways & Buildings Committee, Kankakee County Board officials gave updates on a couple projects underway and one that’s in the planning stages. Most notably is the sediment removal project on the Kankakee River at the Aroma Park boat ramp.
“They’re smack dab in the middle of removing the sediment,” said Greg Heiden, county engineer. “My guesstimate is they’re 50% done right now.”
The project, more than two years in the making, began on April 15 by JS McCullough Excavating, of Coatesville, Ind. It’s expected to be a two- to three-month endeavor.
The entire project is being funded by $1 million secured from the state by State Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex. It’s estimated 9,500 cubic yards of sand/sediment will be removed from the river at the Aroma Park boat ramp.
County Highway 17 bridge nears finish
Heiden reported that the bridge on County Highway 17 near county roads 8000 East and 11000 North, is more than 50% completed.
“It’s starting to look like a bridge,” he said.
Heiden said the piers were built and crews installed the deck beams last week.
“So we’re over the hump,” he said. “We’re kind of expecting this to be done somewhere in July, weather dependent. The first bridge we’ve built since I’ve been here, so I’m all excited. There’s plenty more to come. We’ve got more in line behind this one.”
One of those next bridges is one slated for the Sugar Island Bridge over the Iroquois River on County Highway 37 in Otto and Aroma townships.
The committee unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the county board chairman to sign an engineering agreement with Hutchinson Engineering, of Shorewood, to design the replacement bridge.
The frequently used bridge is at 2300 East 7750S Road. The cost of the bridge design is $291,427.
Heiden added that it’s only in the design stage, and it will likely be a couple years before it’s replaced. The county secured a state grant from the special bridge fund for $3 million, which might cover the complete cost of the replacement.
“We don’t know,” he said. “It depends on what the design says. We’re hoping they just replace from the beams up, which would save some money.”
County Road 7750 South will have to be closed during the construction.
“That’s going to be a fun detour,” Heiden said. “That’s kind of one of the reasons it qualified. It was a program where you submitted, and they selected the bridges. One of the criteria is the size, length and a detour route. It’s a pretty long detour route, and that’s a good and bad thing. It helped us get the money.”