Pedestrian Bridge Moving To 47th Street: Villages

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — The pedestrian bridge linking Western Springs and Hinsdale is expected to move about a half mile south to 47th Street. The current bridge must come down because the Illinois Tollway is expanding Interstate 294.

The tollway agency had given the villages two alternatives: Build the new bridge at the current site or along 47th Street. The tollway is paying for it.

On Monday, the Western Springs Village Board voted 5-1 to change the site of the bridge, despite a survey showing 58 percent of residents preferred keeping it where it is. The tollway agency has said it would respect the wishes of Western Springs and Hinsdale.

The Hinsdale Village Board, meanwhile, has not taken a formal vote on the bridge, but it appears most, if not all, village trustees support 47th, based on discussions at meetings in November and earlier this month. The survey indicated 53 percent of Hinsdale residents backed moving the bridge.

At Monday's meeting, Western Springs Village President Alice Gallagher told the board she would not take part in the discussion or vote on the issue because she is a member of the Illinois Tollway board.

During the discussion, several trustees had the same concern as Hinsdale officials — that residents near the old pedestrian bridge opposed a new crossing there. The new bridge must be accessible under the terms of the Americans With Disabilities Act, requiring a larger structure that neighbors feared meant strangers would look into their homes.

"This larger structure would be in their backyards," Western Springs Trustee James John said. "It was originally built so kids could go across the highway to go to school. That is no longer a factor."

Trustee Heidi Rudolph agreed. She acknowledged the support for the existing site, but said she supported 47th because the changed structure would be intrusive to the existing neighborhood.

Trustee James Tyrrell, who lives in the area of the current crossing, said he understood many people relied on it for access to Hinsdale. He said he especially appreciated the survey, even though he said he knew it was skewed in some ways. Tyrrell was the only trustee to vote against the 47th location.

Although Western Springs residents surveyed mostly supported the current site, both the Western Springs Police Department and the Western Springs Park District favored 47th.