Contractor bid opening Nov. 6 for Eldamain Road bridge project

Contractor bids for the long-awaited Eldamain Road bridge will be opened Nov. 6 in Springfield, Kendall County Engineer Fran Klaas told the county board on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

A project decades in the planning, the bridge will serve to extend Eldamain Road south over the Fox River from its current terminus at River Road, connecting it with West Highpoint Road and opening up the area to possible economic development in the future.

"It's a pretty exciting," Klaas said. "We've been waiting for this for decades."

Since the project requires federal funds, a qualification-based contract bid must take place.

"Hopefully we'll have good competitive bids," Klaas added. "All indications are that we will... We've had a lot of interests. Lots of calls to us - calls to our consultant - asking questions about the project."

Klaas said he expects construction to begin on the project this coming spring.

The county board also approved unanimously phase III of the contract between the county and HR Green - its project management consultant. Phase III of the project will occur after the contract bid in Springfield, and includes the inspection, layout and supervision of the construction. County expenditures for phase III is not to exceed $3,559,124.

The Eldamain Road bridge will be the second bridge spanning the Fox River constructed under the direction of the county. The Orchard Road bridge in Oswego was completed in 2001.