July 26, 2024
Shaw Local
NewsBusinessSportsBearseNewspaperObituariesNewsletterWeekend PlansEvent Calendar

Kendall County to help fund Montgomery path and Oswego sidewalk and highway crossing projects

By Mark Foster
The location of a proposed pedestrian bridge that would span Route 30 on the village of Montgomery's far west side is shown on the above map. The bridge would link developing trail networks on both sides of the highway and provide access to the Stuart Sports Complex. (Illustration provided by the village of Montgomery)

Kendall County staff have recommended the county board award the village of Montgomery $30,030 in Transportation Alternative Program funds to help pay for the construction of a path in the ComEd right-of-way south of Route 30 that would provide access to a pedestrian bridge planned by the village to extend over Route 30 west of Griffin Drive. The bridge would provide direct access to the Fox Valley Park District's Stuart Sports Complex north of the highway. (Illustration provided by the village of Montgomery)

The Kendall County Board is planning to assist the villages of Montgomery and Oswego, along with the Oswegoland Park District, with funding to help construct walkways and pathways designed to improve pedestrian safety and provide connections.

The county maintains a Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) which is funded through a 0.5% transportation sales tax, County Administrator Scott Koeppel said.

The administration is recommending a total of $127,530 in TAP funds to be awarded to the two villages and the park district.

All of the grants represent half of the individual projects’ total cost and are expected to be approved by the County Board next month.

For Montgomery, the county would provide a $30,030 award for construction of a multi-use path across ComEd right-of-way on the south side of Route 30.

That $60,060 project will provide connections to other trails, most notably to a planned $3.4 million pedestrian bridge over Route 30.

The multi-use path is identified as an “important connectivity project” by the county.

The pedestrian bridge will cross over Route 30 in an area just west of Rebecca Circle on the highway’s south side and the Fox Valley Park District’s Stuart Sports Complex along the north side of the highway.

The span will be designed to be wide enough to accommodate the eventual widening of the two-lane highway to five lanes.

Meanwhile, the county also plans to award $50,000 to the village of Oswego for a $100,000 sidewalk construction project along Route 31 between Parker’s Mill and River Run Boulevard north of Oswego Village Hall.

“Excellent project along a state highway,” according to the county’s assessment of the proposed sidewalk.

Finally, the county plans to award $47,500 to the Oswegoland Park District for accessibility and safety updates to the Fox River Trail crossing at Route 25, including installation of pedestrian push-button signals, as part of a $95,000 project.

“Good safety improvement for crossing Route 25,” reads the county’s analysis of the project.