Kelly Street bridge in Streator on path to repairs

The Streator City Council took a step forward Wednesday toward repairing the Kelly Street bridge.

The council approved a $130,000 agreement with Chamlin and Associates for bridge design work.

Once the city completes all design and permitting work, city engineer Jeremy Palm told the council that La Salle County will fund the estimated construction cost of $1 million through federal funds.

Palm estimated that bridge construction would begin in spring 2025 if everything stayed on schedule.

The bridge over Prairie Creek was closed more than five years ago after the concrete supporting the steel piles on the south abutment eroded away to the point that they couldn’t support the weight consistently. It remains closed today, with barriers preventing vehicle traffic but allowing pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

The bridge connected Bluff Street to First Street and offered an option to cross Prairie Creek for neighborhoods west of Route 23.

Streator resident Jack Schuler spoke in favor of the bridge construction Wednesday during the council meeting’s public comment period, saying it adjoins two neighborhoods.

Council member David Reed said he’s heard comments from residents who were in favor of the bridge repairs and others who preferred seeing the bridge remain closed.

Palm told The Times in 2016 that although the bridge routinely received preventive maintenance, the concrete encasement only reached an unusual 3 feet deep, leaving it susceptible to erosion.