As Long Grove officials continue to debate the future of the one-lane covered bridge, they recently learned that the federal government may not reimburse them for ongoing engineering work if they opt to restore the existing span.
When village officials started $150,000 worth of engineering studies nearly a year ago, they were under the impression that the federal government would compensate them for the work regardless of the construction options, Village President Angie Underwood told a standing-room audience at a village board meeting Jan. 24.
But officials learned earlier in the week that the federal government would reimburse them for the studies only if the bridge is demolished and replaced with a new two-lane bridge, Underwood said.
“This is news to this board,” she said. “We thought that we were not on the hook.”
More Top Picks Best Polarized Sunglasses Under 150
If trustees decide later this year to repair the one-lane covered bridge, village funds would have to cover the cost of the engineering work along with the construction costs, she said. Those costs could total $1 million for Long Grove.
The new information adds another layer to the ongoing debate about what to do with the iconic bridge in Long Grove.
For nearly the past two years, village trustees have discussed, debated and studied whether they should use federal money to help tear down the old bridge and build the two-lane span or use a larger amount of village funds to maintain the covered one.
Some village trustees have said Long Grove doesn’t have money in the budget to pay for the costs to restore the bridge, while other residents in town have argued the covered bridge is worth preserving since it has come to define the quaint village.
Earlier this month, members of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association and other residents circulated an online petition called Save The Bridge, to try and garner support for the preservation effort.
More than 3,290 people have signed the petition as of Jan. 27.
But repairs need to happen, the Illinois Department of Transportation has said. Although the historic bridge that dates back to the early 20th century remains safe for motorists, significant repairs still need to be done to it, state records show.
Newly released reports indicate that the federal government would cover the majority of the $1.4 million costs to build a two-lane bridge, leaving Long Grove on the hook for about $370,000.
To reconstruct the existing bridge and add another 50 years to its life expectancy, village officials would have to pay $850,000 and would not receive federal reimbursements.
Village officials, so far, have spent $66,000 on engineering studies with most of the work focused on the restoration of the one-lane bridge, according to village engineer Geoff Perry.
Studies on the two-lane bridge option would cost an additional $85,000, he said.
During the Jan. 24 board meeting, Ryan Messner, executive director of the downtown business association, again urged village officials to preserve the one-lane bridge even if they have to cover engineering costs on top of construction costs.
“This bridge is everything about Long Grove,” he said.
Trustee Stan Borys, who has favored the two-lane replacement in the past, said the group of trustees who seem to support the replacement project are open to assessing all the options.
“I don’t think there’s anyone in this room who doesn’t want to save the bridge,” Borys said. “But what I’m wondering is, what will replace it?”
Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer