Red Gate Bridge Groundbreaking—A Day Where all Seemed Right

It was a beautiful day in St. Charles yesterday!

The sun was shining. There was not a cloud in the sky. The temperature was in the low 80s.

And, the City of St. Charles celebrated with a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new bridge across the Fox River—the Red Gate Bridge.

More than 100 people attended the event held at the point where Red Gate Road will be extended across Route 31 and the Fox River to connect with Route 25. Local residents, business owners, and city leaders joined with federal, state, and county officials to celebrate this occasion. Speakers included:

• Norman Stoner, Illinois Division Administrator - Federal Highway Administration
• Randy Ramey, State Representative
• Karen McConnaughay, Kane County Board Chairman
• John Hoscheit, Kane County Forest Preserve District President
• Don DeWitte, Mayor

Other current and former elected officials who came to celebrate included:

• Chris Lauzen, State Senator
• Phil Lewis, Kane County Board
• Mark Davoust, Kane County Board
• Cathy Hurlbut, Kane County Board
• Mike Kenyon, Kane County Board
• Jerry Swanson, St. Charles Township Supervisor
• Colleen Lang, St. Charles Township Assessor
• Warren Kammerer, Former Kane County Board Chairman
• Sue Klinkhamer, Former Mayor of St. Charles
• Kevin Burns, Mayor of Geneva
• Jeff Schielke, Mayor of Batavia
• Patsy Smith, President of Campton Hills
• Jan Carlson, Former Kane County Board Member and current Regional Transportation Authority Board Member
• Caryl Van Overmeiren, Former Kane County Board and Metra Board member
• Betsy Penny, Former Alderman for St. Charles
• Pat Perez, Kane County Sheriff
• Jim Gaffney, District 303 School Board Member and President of the Fox River & Countryside Fire Protection District
• Mike Hill, St. Charles Library Board Member
• Ron Johnson, St. Charles Township Road Commissioner

Several other federal and state legislators sent representatives or staff members to participate on their behalf.

It was a day where all seemed right and good in the Fox Valley. It seemed like everyone recognized that this bridge is being built for the right reasons:

1. to enhance transportation infrastructure
2. to alleviate congestion in downtown St. Charles
3. to connect the St. Charles community in a new way
4. to provide a new recreational amenity and enhance access to existing forest preserve district lands and bike trails
5. to enhance public safety
6. to save residents of St. Charles and the surrounding area time and money

This project has been discussed for a long time. Speakers at the groundbreaking talked about all of the discussion and debate that has occurred over the years. They also commented on the fact that this has yielded a stronger project, a better project that now enjoys overwhelming support. It is a project that will serve residents present and future, and allow our community to grow and prosper.

The project is based on thorough study, careful analysis, detailed technical review, federal and state oversight, and overwhelming popular opinion. There is no such thing as a perfect roadway expansion project, but the Red Gate Bridge project is about as close as you're going to find in St. Charles.

For a slide show of images of the bridge location and artist renderings, please click here.