Evanston public works officials will hold a public meeting next month to review plans for replacing the Central Street bridge across the North Shore Channel and the project’s impact on the Canal Shores golf course.
The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, on the second floor of the American Legion Post at 1030 Central St.
Originally constructed in 1908, officials say, the existing bridge requires complete replacement, and the new bridge is being planned to accommodate all roadway users and consider the wide variety of adjacent land uses.
The city is seeking public comment on the impact of the bridge plans on the golf course, a not-for-profit public recreational facility subject to protection under federal highway funding regulations. The city intends to seek a “de minims” impact finding from the Federal Highway Administration based on a determination that the project will not adversely affect the features, attributes or activities that qualify the golf course for protection.
Plans call for acquiring about 16 feet of right-of-way both north and south of the bridge to widen the sidewalk to 10 feet. There will be a temporary impact to the practice greens located south of Central Street.
In addition, the golf cart path between the 12th hole and 13th hole will be temporarily rerouted to the west to provide a construction staging area. Mitigation will include the installation of a temporary traffic signal at Bryant Avenue to facilitate pedestrian and golf cart crossing through the construction zone. Impacted trees will be replaced on a three-to-one basis. All disturbed areas will be restored to their former condition or better.
Written comments may be emailed to snagar@cityofevanston.org or mailed to Sat Nagar, P.E., Senior Project Manager, Public Works Agency, 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201-2798. Comments must be received by Sept. 30, to be considered as a part of the public record.
Work to replace the bridge is scheduled to begin in 2019 and take two years to complete.
Related stories
Two year bridge project ahead for Central Street (5/26/17)
Emergency bridge repairs on Central Street (8/17/15)