With the Bickerdyke Bridge complete, Galesburg is preparing for its next major road project.
It's an underpass that will run on East Main Street. The estimated cost is around $25 million. The project is expected to take two years to complete with construction schedule to begin in August.
City Engineer Wayne Carl said the city chose to build an underpass rather than an overpass because the current tracks are above nearby intersections.
He said it will take two years to build because of the nature of the project.
“We’re gonna have to shut down tracks when we build the bridge underneath the tracks. The bridge, it’s a railroad bridge, so you have to build a bridge for each track. And there’s three tracks. And so, when we’re working on putting the bridge that track will be shut down. So you got to work within the railroad schedules to not limit their trains either,” Carl said.
Construction of the Bickerdyke Bridge took a bit more than a year to complete.
Carl said road closures will occur with the construction of the underpass.
“The local people will continue to use Allen Avenue to South Street, and they’ll also use Lincoln up to North Street and go under the underpasses in those location,” Carl said.
Truck traffic is expected to be re-routed from Interstate 74 to Route 34 to Henderson Street.
The underpass will include a sidewalk and room for bicycles.
