KENT KRIEGSHAUSER/The Register-MailA vehicle approaches the tracks below as Russell Gibbs of Denton Enterprises/Gunther Construction uses a high pressure air hose to clear small debris from the surface of the overpass under construction on Route 41 between Galesburg and Abingdon. Progress on the project is on, or ahead of, schedule.
Construction of Illinois 41 bridge is on schedule
Structure should be complete by Oct. 1
Saturday, July 16, 2005
GALESBURG - The Illinois 41 bridge between Galesburg and Abingdon is on schedule to be completed by Oct. 1, according to Matt Jereb, Illinois Department of Transportation District 41 construction engineer.Jereb said the bridge itself is completed west of Illinois 41 and the road that would route traffic to the bridge is under construction now.
The project is on budget at $3.8 million, Jereb said, and construction is progressing during normal business hours. Although IDOT set aside $5.5 million for the project in 2002, Jereb said the lowest bid came in at $3.8 million.
Drivers can expect delays sometime in September when lanes will be blocked off so the new road can be finished, Jereb said.
He added the only time the BNSF Railway was affected was when the bridge beams were installed over the tracks. Jereb said IDOT let the railroad know the times of the installation and the two worked together so trains would be minimally affected.
About 21 trains cross the tracks on an average day at about 15 mph, delaying drivers about five to 10 minutes. About 7,600 vehicles travel Illinois 41 each day as well.
