Long-awaited Baker Road Bridge Replacement Scheduled
By Stephanie Irvine
Baker Road travelers will be pleased to learn that the single-lane Baker Road bridge is slated to be rebuilt in the Spring of 2025, with construction scheduled to start April 1— barring any April Fool’s jokes.
The proverbial road to replace the bridge has been a long one. Manhattan Township Road Commissioner Jim “JB” Baltas started the initial work with the Will County Department of Transportation a decade ago.
“I’ve been looking forward to this since 2014,” Baltas said, explaining that he and then-WDOT Director Bruce Gould started the lengthy process to secure federal funding for a portion of the bridge that year.
Federal funding will subsidize most of the $3.2 million project. Eighty percent of the bridge construction would be funded through the Federal Surface Transportation Bridge Program, and the remainder would be split between Will County Department of Transportation and Manhattan Township Road District taxpayers.
Although the government awarded federal funding early on due to the bridge’s condition, completing the necessary studies and steps for construction preparation took time.
“I learned a lot through the process. There’s a lot to do,” Baltas said.
Baltas explained that the project required many steps, all of which needed to be conducted and addressed prior to any letting or permitting. The project involved engineering studies, travel demand analysis, environmental studies, and a wetland study, among other studies, along with letters to the adjacent property owners so that any questions or issues could be addressed.
Replacing the charming old single-lane bridge, whose original construction dates back to 1923, is an extensive project that requires realigning the roadway, elevating the bridge, and making the bridge wide enough to handle two cars simultaneously. It’s expected to take over six months to complete.
Although times have changed since 1923, farm trucks still frequent the road to access the fields along Baker Road. Baltas explained that the new bridge would not have a separate weight limit from the road.
“Safety is the biggest issue with this bridge,” Baltas explained before adding, ‘Being where it’s placed at the bottom of a hill, with one lane and a concrete wall structure, it’s a safety issue.”
The new bridge will be 170 feet wide, improving water flow and drainage for Jackson Creek, which runs below it. By comparison, the current bridge only spans 59 feet.
Additionally, the bridge will be widened from 18 feet to 30 feet, and metal guardrails will replace concrete walls.
“The hill will be more gentle, and the road will be straightened out. It’s going to be huge for the travelers of the road,” Baltas said.
IDOT awarded D Construction of Braidwood the construction bid, and the project is expected to run from April 1 through November 1. The section of the road with the bridge will be closed to through traffic from east of Route 52 and west of Eastern Avenue.
Detour signs for motorists will be posted.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.