The Indiana Street pedestrian bridge in St. Charles, also known as the Piano Factory Bridge, was built in 1904 and needs repair.
David Petesch/Shaw Local News Network
The City of St. Charles is taking steps to potentially repair the pedestrian bridge over Indiana Street, also known as the Piano Factory Bridge, because it is in poor condition and does not meet modern building codes.
The pedestrian bridge was built in 1904 to provide a route across the Fox River for employees of the Cable Piano Factory. Since the factory was demolished in 2000, the bridge has been used as a bicycle and pedestrian path.
During an inspection in 2013, the bridge was found to be in poor condition due to wear and tear. Currently, the bridge does not meet modern load-bearing requirements and the seven-foot width does not meet modern standards for a mixed-use trail.
The bridge is inspected annually to ensure it can remain safely open to pedestrian traffic, however due to its condition the bridge is closed during all major city events to avoid congestion.
The city is currently examining options for repairing the bridge and is commissioning, among other things, an engineering firm to assess the possibilities of reconstruction.
During a meeting of the Government Services Committee on Monday, members recommended approval of a contract with TranSystems Corporation to carry out the first two phases of construction of the bridge, valued at $391,881.
The city council will vote on the proposed contract on Tuesday, September 3rd.
The study will analyse four possible options for the bridge. These options are: do nothing, repair and restore the superstructure, partially restore it using the original structural elements or replace the bridge.
Under the contract, TranSystems would conduct a thorough assessment of the structure, review each of the four options, and then make recommendations to the city for consideration. The options would also be reviewed by engineers, historic preservation groups and citizens at public meetings.
City engineers told committee members that the initial phases of engineering work could take up to two years and the entire process could take up to four years.
TranSystems is expected to initiate all necessary coordination with regulators and assist in applying for grants for construction if the contract is approved.
On Monday, several committee members said they would prefer repairing and restoring the bridge rather than rebuilding it.
