Two bridges reopen in Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove; ribbon cutting set

A gathering at 10 a.m. June 3 will celebrate the installation of two bridges – one replacement and one historically significant refurbishment – allowing full access to the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove in time for National Trails Day.

A National Trails Day ribbon cutting marks their installation at preserve. On hand will be Forest Preserve District of DuPage County officials, including President Daniel Hebreard and commissioners; Friends of the Forest Preserve District; preserve neighbors and other invited guests, a news release stated.

The public is invited to help commemorate the completion of another 2019 certified master plan project. Hidden Lake Forest Preserve is on the east side of Route 53, a quarter mile south of Butterfield Road in Downers Grove.

The project arose after a routine inspection showed the two aging bridges had structural deficiencies that warranted replacement, according to the release. The “lake bridge,” which sits on the east side of Round Meadow Lake and carries a recreational trail around the lake, was replaced with a 50-foot-long by 14-foot-wide prefabricated truss bridge in fall 2022.

The “river bridge,” which carries a recreational trail over the East Branch DuPage River and connects to a loop trail around the preserve’s Eagle Lake, is a 50-foot-long by 11-foot-wide cast- and wrought-iron bowstring pony truss bridge built in the 1870s. Because it is the only known example of this type of bridge in the Chicago region, it was restored and reinstalled rather than replaced with a prefabricated bridge. Construction was completed in May, and both bridges are now open.

For information, call 630-933-7200 or visit dupageforest.org.