No opposition was voiced Monday during an informational meeting on Geneseo's proposed Oakwood pedestrian bridge, as residents and city officials discussed pedestrian safety, the project's rising cost, and another attempt to secure state funding.
The project would construct a separate 90-foot-long, six-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over Geneseo Creek near South State Street.
IMEG Engineering now estimates the project at $392,010. However, a new state grant application and a $125,000 commitment from the Geneseo Foundation could potentially reduce the city's direct contribution to approximately $71,000 — or less — if the grant is successful.
City administrator Brandon Maeglin discusses proposed Oakwood Pedestrian Bridge project at Monday’s meeting.
The city is working with Bi-State Regional Commission on another application for funding through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, or ITEP. Depending on the eventual award and eligible expenses, state and federal funding could cover a substantial portion of construction costs.
The Geneseo Foundation's previously pledged $125,000 grant has also been extended through 2027.
A project that started with beautification
The project dates to 2022 and was originally part of a broader effort to improve the city's entrance in the South State Street area, including landscaping, banners, concrete work and other improvements.
Much of the beautification and historical landing portion was subsequently completed. The pedestrian crossing was not.
The existing South State Street vehicular bridge has no sidewalk. Officials said pedestrians heading to businesses in the area can be seen crossing there, sometimes with pets or strollers. Another concern raised Monday was young people walking across the bridge, particularly around sporting events and trips to nearby businesses.
Current rendering of proposed Oakwood Pedestrian Bridge
One attendee said families have raised concerns after seeing children regularly cross in the area. Concerns about speeding on nearby Robinson Drive were also discussed.
Why has the bridge become more expensive?
The project has changed substantially since its original conception.
Since Geneseo's earlier attempts to secure ITEP funding, the city authorized preliminary engineering and the design has gone through additional review by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. IDNR approval is still pending.
According to information discussed Monday, the structure had to be raised approximately six feet from the original design in order to address floodway requirements. That change requires additional work to provide ADA-compliant access, including switchbacks or ramps approaching the elevated bridge, contributing to the increased cost.
The location of the pedestrian bridge was also questioned Monday, but moving it farther downstream presents its own challenges because of the terrain and the elevation necessary to cross the creek.
Why not just add sidewalks to the South State Street bridge?
It's an obvious question: rather than spending nearly $400,000 on a separate pedestrian bridge, why not widen or replace the existing two-lane South State Street vehicular bridge and include sidewalks?
The answer presented Monday is more complicated than simply adding concrete to either side.
City Administrator Brandon Maeglin explained that the existing bridge essentially cannot be disturbed without potentially triggering a much larger regulatory and engineering project. The existing structure would not be approved in its current configuration if it were being constructed today.
That means substantially modifying or replacing the bridge could require a new structure designed to current standards rather than simply reproducing or widening what exists today.
A new vehicular bridge would also be dramatically larger than the proposed six-foot pedestrian structure. It would need to accommodate two traffic lanes, pedestrian walkways, and barriers while supporting vehicle loads. Reconstruction could also involve demolition, roadway approaches, traffic control, floodway work, and other engineering.
There is no engineering estimate for rebuilding the South State Street vehicular bridge; however, small two-lane vehicular bridge replacements can readily reach $1.5 million to $3 million or more*, depending on span, foundations, approaches, floodplain requirements, and other site conditions.
The important distinction is that the choice isn't necessarily between a $392,010 pedestrian bridge and simply attaching sidewalks to the existing bridge. Modifying the existing structure could open the door to an entirely different — and substantially larger — bridge reconstruction project.
What could Geneseo actually pay?
The city is again seeking ITEP funding to reduce its local cost. Using the current $392,010 estimate, a 50% grant would provide $196,005. After applying the Geneseo Foundation's $125,000 commitment, approximately $71,005 would remain.
If the project received 60% funding, the remaining city share could fall to approximately $31,804 after the Foundation contribution. At higher grant levels, the Foundation contribution could theoretically cover the remaining balance.
Those calculations assume the entire $392,010 is eligible for reimbursement and that the Foundation contribution can be applied against the remaining local share. Actual costs would depend on the final grant award and funding rules.
Without an ITEP award, approximately $267,010 would remain after the Foundation contribution. Officials indicated Monday that if the grant effort is unsuccessful, the City Council would ultimately have to decide whether to provide the local funding necessary to move forward.
Geneseo faces a disadvantage in the grant competition
Geneseo has applied for ITEP funding for the project before without success.
One of the challenges discussed Monday is somewhat counterintuitive: Geneseo's economic profile can work against it when competing for transportation-enhancement dollars.
Officials said IDOT likes the project, but Geneseo's average income makes it more difficult to demonstrate the same level of need as some competing communities.
ITEP is also highly competitive. Information shared at the meeting described it as a two-year state and federal funding cycle with approximately $125 million available statewide. Officials said the ideal outcome would be to obtain enough grant funding to cover most of the eligible project expense.
What happens next?
The city will now focus on its latest ITEP application, which is due in early October. A decision is expected in spring 2027, with the project potentially moving forward later that year if funding is awarded.
If the grant application is unsuccessful, the decision would return to the City Council in 2027 to determine whether to fund the remaining cost locally.
For now, the city's next step is securing the outside funding that could substantially reduce Geneseo's share of the project.
*That range is not an IMEG or City of Geneseo estimate for South State Street and should not be interpreted as what replacing this particular bridge would cost.
