'Nice To Have' Elmhurst Project Takes Next Step

ELMHURST, IL – The Elmhurst City Council on Monday approved paying for detailed engineering for a pedestrian bridge over Route 83.

But a pair of aldermen dissented, calling the project a "nice to have."

The bridge would be about halfway between Lake Street and North Avenue. It would link north Elmhurst to parkland on the other side of the highway.

During a debate, Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram said the bridge would benefit the community. But he called it a "nice to have," not a "need to have."

The bridge is estimated to cost $2.6 million, with $1.9 million coming from outside grants, according to a city memo. Officials said they may be able to get more outside money before the work starts.

Bram said the city's portion is more than $700,000, money that he contended could be put to better use elsewhere.

One such use is sidewalks, Bram said. Parts of the city have no sidewalks, with residents forced to walk in the streets.

He didn't say it at the meeting, but a big part of Bram's Ward 3 is without sidewalks.

About the bridge, Bram said, "We're adding a nice to have above what I would consider a basic essential."

He also noted the city has other needed projects such as water plant upgrades and a new police station, both of which are expected to cost tens of millions of dollars.

In recent months, he noted the city has asked residents for more money. That includes a sales tax hike of half a percentage point and a nearly 30 percent increase in water and sewer rates.

Ward 7 Alderman Rex Irby said he favored the bridge, but he, too, called it a "nice to have." He wanted to delay a decision until the city made sure it had its "ducks in a row" in getting outside money.

Former Ward 2 Alderman Bob Dunn showed up at the City Council meeting to express his support for the second phase of engineering for the project.

The project, he said, has gained a lot of backing, including from the local park and school districts and the state Department of Transportation.

"There's a lot of neighborhood support in addition to that," said Dunn, who left the council last year.

The council voted 12-2 for the second phase of engineering, with Bram and Irby dissenting.

The city has been in discussions about the bridge for a decade.

South Elmhurst's pedestrian link over Route 83 is the Illinois Prairie Path bridge.