OTTAWA — The West Wilson Street bridge may lose its top priority as the next county bridge to be replaced. Once the Vermont Road bridge near Rantoul is completed – the contractor must put on permanent paving on the bridge deck — county commissioners will decide what bridge to do next. The Wilson Street bridge over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks at the west edge of Ottawa had been in line to be next but some commissioners have voiced second thoughts. Commissioner Ed Taylor said during past public hearings, members of the public objected to closing the bridge because detouring would make them go onto U.S. 59. However, because the state built a new U.S. 59 expressway and will give the old 59 to the county, a detour may not be so objectionable, he said. County administrator Lisa Johnson said the county has been doing traffic counts around the bridge. Replacing the bridge could cost $540,000, said county public works director Jim Haag. He said there are four other bridges that should be high priorities: on Sand Creek near Nevada Road, on Cloud Road, on Arkansas Road, and on Virginia Road. It will be at least three years before more federal money is available for bridge projects – the Vermont Road bridge project was funded in part by federal money, Haag said. He and Johnson urged commissioners to consider issuing bonds or seek a loan from a special state bridge fund.
Tuesday, April 19, 3 p.m.
