Flooding Concerns Prompt City to Close Illinois Street Bridge

For the safety of drivers and pedestrians, the city of St. Charles has closed the Illinois Street Bridge and the Indiana Street Pedestrian Bridge due to rising levels of the Fox River after overnight storms brought more rain to the area.

“Our Public Works Department has been monitoring the rising level of the Fox River all week,” said City Administrator Mark Koenen. “After the overnight storms, conditions called for closing these two structures for the safety of drivers and pedestrians. We continue to monitor the situation and will reopen the structures as soon as conditions safely allow it.”

Traffic from the Illinois St. Bridge will be diverted to both the Prairie St. Bridge and Main St. Bridge while this closure remains in effect, according to a news release from the city of St. Charles. Traffic on the west side of the Illinois Bridge at 1st Street will still be able to access the Fox Island Square parking lot and the Susan L. Klinkhamer Parking Deck across the street.

The current river forecast calls for the Fox River to crest at the Algonquin tailwater early Sunday morning. The bridges will likely be closed into the middle of the coming week depending on how quickly the river recedes, city officials said.