Red Gate Bridge Opens on St. Charles’ North End

Local, county, and state officials gather for festivities, ribbon-cutting before span opens to vehicles; pedestrian/bike portion of bridge to open in the spring.

Overcast skies and drizzly conditions failed to dampen spirits Saturday morning as city, county and state officials — part of a crowd of as many as 170 people — gathered to the opening of a bridge that began as the seeds of an idea first planted 92 years ago.

Members of the St. Charles City Council, city staff and other officials braved chilly winds that buffeted the new span about 11 a.m., when St. Charles Mayor Donald DeWitte, wielding an oversized pair of ceremonial scissors, shouted “Merry Christmas St. Charles” as he cut a large ribbon to mark the opening of the Red Gate Bridge.

The bridge’s opening to vehicles is not wholly without controversy — a contingent of residents who have opposed it continued to voice their displeasure with posts to online stories Saturday about the new, $30 million bridge whose construction began 15 months ago.

But the voices of any critics were lost in the day’s celebration, which began an hour earlier when the had gathered west of the bridge in the Commons at St. Charles North High School on Red Gate Road. There, amid fruit, bagels, coffee and water, various dignitaries — from state lawmakers to Kane County Board members to city officials — recounted the 20-year effort that culminated with the bridge’s construction over the past 15 months.

The bridge has been hailed as offering greater convenience in crossing the Fox River on the city’s north end, improving police and fire department responses on the city’s north and as well as a means toward uniting the city’s East and West Side residents. But perhaps one of its most anticipated benefits is the relief it is expected to provide to the Main Street bridge. Officials estimated the Red Gate Bridge will draw 4,000 vehicles per day, eventually increasing to much more.

City Administrator Brian Townsend, who acted as the morning’s master of ceremonies, relished the long-awaited day.

“The opening of a new bridge is a rare occasion indeed,” he said, noting that the city’s first Main Street bridge opened in November 1836. The bridge has been reconstructed or widened eight times, most recently in 1997.

The Illinois Street Bridge was a gift to the city from the Baker and Norris families — the last joint gift by the two noted names in the city’s history. Each family donated $100,000 toward the construction, and the bridge was dedicated in 1957.

In July 1992, the St. Charles City Council voted to build the Prairie Street Bridge, which Townsend said opened in May 1994.

“More than 18 years later, we convene to open another bridge in St. Charles,” he said, adding that half the project’s $30 million cost was paid for by federal, state and county agencies.

Townsend was not the morning’s only speaker — state Rep. Harry “Randy” Ramey and John Fortmann, the acting deputy director of highways and Region One engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation, also were on hand to offer brief remarks.

Townsend also took a moment to recognize Fred Norris, a former St. Charles mayor who championed the bridge while he was in office. The crowd greeted him with warm applause.

State Sen.-elect Karen McConnaughay, R-33rd District, also spoke to the crowd. The former Kane County Board member later served as board chairman in the years leading up to the construction. She credited the leadership of the local officials for their perseverance in pursuing the project.

She also pointed out that Saturday’s ribbon-cutting for the Red Gate Bridge came exactly two years after the Dec. 15, 2010 opening of the Stearns Road Bridge, further north in South Elgin.

Kane County Forest Preserve District President John Hoscheit also spoke briefly, expressing gratitude that the bridge will serve as a critical connection between the district’s trail system on the east side of the river with its holdings on the west side of the river.

DeWitte took the podium to share his perspective on the project, which has been a point of personal pride among the accomplishments he has helped achieve in his nearly eight years as mayor and, before that, 12 years as a 3rd Ward alderman.

“In the true spirit of Christmas, good things come to those who wait,” the mayor said. “And today, some 92 years after a bridge crossing was identified at this location in our community … our patience and the patience of our forefathers has been rewarded with the opening of this new community asset ...”

Related:

• Dec. 16, 2012:
• Dec. 6, 2012: Dec. 15 Ribbon-Cutting Set for Red Gate Bridge
• Nov. 28, 2012:
• Oct. 3, 2012 Blog: Red Gate Bridge on schedule for December 15th opening
• Aug. 28, 2012: St. Charles’ Red Gate Bridge Project Advancing

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