It's almost finished--a pedestrian bridge across Route 59. We see these over interstates, but how many like this cross state highways? The bridge will connect neighborhoods like Tall Grass with destinations like the YMCA, library and Neuqua Valley High School.
The city says the foot bridge cost $2.5 million, and that feds paid 75 percent of the cost, which would mean Naperville's share was somewhere in the neighborhood of $625,000.
Is it worth it? Will you use it when it opens in a few weeks?
Yes, the new bridge will allow Tall Grass residents a short walk to Neuqua Valley....but they will be going to Waubonsie.
I live in the North side, but my friends down by the bridge all wonder why it is/was built.
What a great asset to the community and one that will encourage healthy behaviors like walking and biking.
Its a real shame that the current school board did not see this and would rather bus kids who can walk to school (NVHS) to a more distant (WVHS) high school. If gas prices continue to rise perhaps the next school board will be more fiscally responsible and green and change this bad decision.
WV is a great school thats not my issue. I know not all students in Tall Grass would walk or bike (just like not all kids in Stillwater walk to NV) but if 20% did that would certainly make alot more sense than bussing them.
Our kids currently bike over to Frontier Park and the library and those are adjacent to the Gold Campus building.
Its clear the current board has an agenda that is biased. I hope that the future board members will see through the bias and nonsense and make better decisions. Until then our kids will be great additions to WVHS and our parents will support the school and programs just as they have at Fry, Scullen and NVHS. I could not be prouder to be part of the Tall Grass Community.
We'll be using it for family bike trips.
Hopefully I'll find a safe way to get to it from 111th and 248th...
Kids (4 & 6) love McDonnalds, belong to YMCA, should make for some nice bike rides...
If it wasn't for Naperville building stuff out here, all we'd have is a few small parks from Plainfield.
Love Commissioners park.
Thanks Naperville!
Yes. I will use the bridge to walk from Tall Grass to Neuqua Valley High School.
This is a reminder of how district 204 wastes taxpayers money. I am sure the city of Naperville feels great about the SB actions.
The false memo sent out by the SB, shows the SB had an agenda. TG is the only subdivision that will be walkers to school and will now be bussed to a farther distance school. The district will NOT be reimbursed for this bussing. Again a waste of money!!!!
Does anyone know how this bridge cost the same exact amount to build as the Bailey Rd. Bridge.
Both were exactly 2.5 Million with the Feds kicking in 75%.
This fortunately was done with a few hours of closures on Rt. 59.
The Bailey Rd is being done with complete closure of a road that may last 4 to 6 months that is suffocating retailers.
Does anyone have an explanation of the DIFFERENCE?
Marshall,
Cars weigh more than people and bikes.
Pedestrian Bridge was not 'in use' while they were trying to build it.
...
for starters.
Yes, Marshall. One is a pre-fabricated bridge made to carry the light weight of pedestrians. The base of the bridge on both sides of the road did not require lane closures to be installed, and the two main pieces were lifted and bolted in place with a crane.
The Baily road bridge is an actual roadway made out of concrete, rebar, beams, etc. It is made to carry 80,000 pounds of vehicles, not the low weight a pedestrian bridge carries. The old bridge had to be torn out, and a new one rebuilt.
I hope you are not in charge of any kind of construction project if you can not even tell the difference between a pedestrian bridge and traffic bridge.
Hi, I am D204. I preach (including the allowing of ministers/reverends to comment on curriculum - another subject) about being green, saving the environment, but sure do not like to practice what I preach on the environment. I turn walkers into bus riders, put thousands more kids on buses exposing them to fumes and safety risks, put rush hour workers in risk from student drivers, add stress to both working and shuttling parents during rush hour, and cost family much more money in car maintenance and fuel. Oh yes, and we are generating significantly more green house gases in the future helping to destroy the earth. We could take credit as well for hurting the physical health of families by taking away the opportunity to bike and walk to school, but we will take what we have for now. The damage to health comes many years later.
To By MH on June 19, 2008 7:23 AM
Yes, the new bridge will allow Tall Grass residents a short walk to Neuqua Valley....but they will be going to Waubonsie.
I live in the North side, but my friends down by the bridge all wonder why it is/was built.
_________________________________________________
All my friends "down by the bridge" don't have to wonder WHY the bridge was built. We are all wondering WHY it won't be used for what it was intended for.
I just love how the North side can spin things. Honestly, I give you credit.
To By Big D on June 19, 2008 10:42 AM
What a great asset to the community and one that will encourage healthy behaviors like walking and biking.
Its a real shame that the current school board did not see this and would rather bus kids who can walk to school (NVHS) to a more distant (WVHS) high school. If gas prices continue to rise perhaps the next school board will be more fiscally responsible and green and change this bad decision.
WV is a great school thats not my issue. I know not all students in Tall Grass would walk or bike (just like not all kids in Stillwater walk to NV) but if 20% did that would certainly make alot more sense than bussing them.
Our kids currently bike over to Frontier Park and the library and those are adjacent to the Gold Campus building.
Its clear the current board has an agenda that is biased. I hope that the future board members will see through the bias and nonsense and make better decisions. Until then our kids will be great additions to WVHS and our parents will support the school and programs just as they have at Fry, Scullen and NVHS. I could not be prouder to be part of the Tall Grass Community.
_________________________________________
Agree 100% with your post. Go Warriors! We will see a new Waubonsie with the new boundary changes!
yes, i will use the bridge.. but i am more or a 'walker'.. and it won't be just the people in the immediate area who will use it..
it's part of a large network of biking trails which i think will get a great deal of use.
http://www.naperville.il.us/emplibrary/Naperville%20Biking%20Map%20and%20Guide.pdf
Big D,
Fry to WV was the "green" thing to do. Some school had to leave NV. The added distance for any other school would have been greater than the increase for Fry. The only other options would have been to move Welch (they are even closer to NV), Clow or Springbrook.
Sincerely,
Just the Facts
By Big D on June 19, 2008 10:42 AM
What a great asset to the community and one that will encourage healthy behaviors like walking and biking.
Its a real shame that the current school board did not see this and would rather bus kids who can walk to school (NVHS) to a more distant (WVHS) high school. If gas prices continue to rise perhaps the next school board will be more fiscally responsible and green and change this bad decision.
WV is a great school thats not my issue. I know not all students in Tall Grass would walk or bike (just like not all kids in Stillwater walk to NV) but if 20% did that would certainly make alot more sense than bussing them.
Our kids currently bike over to Frontier Park and the library and those are adjacent to the Gold Campus building.
Its clear the current board has an agenda that is biased. I hope that the future board members will see through the bias and nonsense and make better decisions. Until then our kids will be great additions to WVHS and our parents will support the school and programs just as they have at Fry, Scullen and NVHS. I could not be prouder to be part of the Tall Grass Community.
All my friends "down by the bridge" don't have to wonder WHY the bridge was built. We are all wondering WHY it won't be used for what it was intended for.
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Please, get over yourself TG, out tax dollars weren't spent just so your kids could have walked to school. And Sun do you purposely word things to stir the pot "The bridge will connect neighborhoods like Tall Grass with destinations like the YMCA, library and Neuqua Valley High School". If that was why the city built it then send the bill over to the Tall Grass HOA and let them pay it. Give me my tax $ back. Their a plenty of areas in Naperville that need attention not just the whiners in SD 204 who built a home when nothing but farmland was around them. Now they want everyone in Naperville to open our wallets and make life easy for them.
Before I moved to South Naperville we looked at downtown (ie East Highlands area) and found something very interesting at play there. They have two great HS (NN and Central) and they allow these residents to CHOOSE which they will attend. The elementary and middle schools are set but HS is a choice since for many of these blocks they can literally walk to one or be bussed to another.
Since at NV you have Welch and Fry both with students who can walk to NV lets GIVE THEM THE CHOICE. Walk to NV or be bussed to WV. Both schools are equal academically (as our board has told us over and over again) so let the walkers be walkers.
Bridge or no bridge we know some will walk/bike to school so lets let them do the right green, healthy and fair thing.
Maybe the current board can make this change if not lets hope the new board will be open to ideas.
By Just the facts on June 19, 2008 9:46 PM
Big D,
Fry to WV was the "green" thing to do. Some school had to leave NV. The added distance for any other school would have been greater than the increase for Fry. The only other options would have been to move Welch (they are even closer to NV), Clow or Springbrook.
---------------
You're right someone needed to go but prior to the referrendum when the school board played out the Springbrook vs Fry question and who would go to Metea the reason Fry went was per Mr Glawe " Fry is closer to Neuqua than Springbrook but Fry is closer to Metea than Springbrook so Fry goes". This time Welch is closer to NV and Fry is closer to NV but still Fry goes to WV. Sorry but this smells of an agenda vs "green" thing to do. I have never had any issues with the quality of the education at either location nor the aestheics of either school but am frustrated that the agenda of the board is to make sure Fry moves out of NV to where ever...
Kids should attend the school closest to them and not be bussed miles away.
SIncerely,
BIG D
Please do let your kids go to the school that is closer to you. That means that WV will be that much less crowded and a wonderful HS experience for those of us who want to attend it. I would vote for that in a heart beat.
By Just the facts on June 19, 2008 9:46 PM
Big D,
Fry to WV was the "green" thing to do. Some school had to leave NV. The added distance for any other school would have been greater than the increase for Fry. The only other options would have been to move Welch (they are even closer to NV), Clow or Springbrook.
Sincerely,
Just the Facts
---------------
Get your facts right. Do the math on the other schools. Fry is now one of the closest to NV, but Welch and Clow are closer to WV. However, even that does not matter, because specific neighborhoods some 10 out 24 north of 95th street are closer to WV and farther from NV than the entire TG neighborhood. The problem was the district has an wasteful method for determining boundaries that is not top-down but bottom-up (keeping all the elementary schools together in lock step to MS then on to HS even though kids from many different neighborhoods go to the same ES). It is illogical, non-geographic, wastes money - and worst of all pits neighborhood vs neighborhood. That would not happen if the district went neighborhood by neighborhood versus ES by ES - a $20M to $60M mistake over the next 20 years. A terrible lack of leadership and wasteful spending of taxpayer money. The district sounded like they were on the right track when they said all walkers remain walkers, then went against their own guidelines when they wanted specific people to go to a specific school. That is a relatively indefensible position that will come back to haunt the district. You see, the cornerstone of all school districts for the last 100 years has been geographic proximity. Why? Because you cannot argue with distance in miles to the new school. People can live with that logic in the end. Guess D204 did not get the memo.
You win. I now see the light. TG should stay at NV. Along with Welch, WE, Clow, Springbrook, and the rest of those overcrowded elementary and middle schools in the south end. No one should ever be moved from the NV Palace. Ever. Glad you want your kids to attend HS with 5,000 other kids, jammed in like sardines. How 'bout lunch period at 8:30? But hey, at least they'll be walking. Meanwhile, those of us up north will have two very nice 1,500 seat HS's that you fine folks down south help fund for which you derive zero benefit. But at least you'll win all the conference football championships. Sounds like a good trade off to me.
Oh, by the way, nice bridge to nowhere! The Sun really made me chuckle when they dropped in that line about walking to NV.
It is refreshing to see the communities in the south throwing bombs at each other over who should leave the NV palace. In the North, Oakhurst should stay at WV...No, Stonebridge should go and McCarty should stay. Wait, Young would be bussed .15 miles further at WV, they should stay at MV and that would be less green! You take Longwood. No, YOU take Longwood. LOL!
You people are a riot and the fact that you're never going to get over this "transgression" is going to provide lots of entertainment.
Clow and Welch both have walkers to NV.
This is getting old.
I agree with the earlier post. Send the bridge bill over to Tall Grass since it was built for them.
We won't be using it, see we live on the other side of the tracks, I mean, Rt 59.
Tall Grass should be working on getting a traffic light on Rt 59, it looks ridiculous all the cars piling up in the median trying to make a left turn onto Rt 59.
But, hey, the bright side is it should easy to give people directions to your home. You can't miss that bridge. I wonder will they name it the "Tall Grass Overpass".
Really, I don't care.
By Anonymous on June 21, 2008 7:42 PM
Clow and Welch both have walkers to NV.
This is getting old.
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This does not matter anymore. Note TG results. Guess who heads to Metea when WV closes some day? Clow and Welch.
By Tall Grass Overpass on June 21, 2008 8:15 PM
I agree with the earlier post. Send the bridge bill over to Tall Grass since it was built for them.
____________________
It was the Park District path project. It just happened to run through TG. Just like the pedestrian bridge over Eola to the future MVHS that happens to connect Dr. D.'s neighborhood...and just like the one near WVHS over Eola. These are park and prairie path projects.
To Wake Up:
They are not closing WVHS, if they do another HS would have to be built. LOOK AT THE NUMBERS!
Clow would be on the bus for over an hour, against the codes. Clow goes as far as Naper-Plainfield, but the walkers come from the subdivisions by Book.
This is all so silly, people boundaries have been set, move on!
Also, many people have been saying we will make WVHS better. Please stop, it is already a great place, it will remain a great place with the boundary change.
This blog is about a bridge, not boundaries.
look at the numbers is right
enrollment peak is not far above what we have now
make sure you are looking at the most recent spring numbers from march 2008 or later
To Read A Little, the bridge over Eola has been there for close to 10 years now (if not more). That had nothing to do w/Dr. D or 204 so please don't try to spin it to look like he had something to do with that. Just mentioning his name is enough to get some people to believe that. Furthermore, where that bridge comes in on both sides of Eola is no where close to any of the subdivisvions along Eola. No one will be using that bridge to get to Metea. All those who are walkers to MV are way south of the bridge and school and won't need it.
To: Tall Grass Overpass 6/21 8:15pm
So, Tall Grass is on the "other side of the tracks", eh?
Funny how guys like you are quick to call us "elitists". Funny how you guys are quick to tell us "to just get over it". Funny how you guys are quick to tell us that "it's time to heal". Funny how you guys say "I'm sure glad I don't have to send my kids to school with those monsters".
You sound very small when you talk like that.
---
You wrote:
By Tall Grass Overpass on June 21, 2008 8:15 PM
I agree with the earlier post. Send the bridge bill over to Tall Grass since it was built for them.
We won't be using it, see we live on the other side of the tracks, I mean, Rt 59.
Tall Grass should be working on getting a traffic light on Rt 59, it looks ridiculous all the cars piling up in the median trying to make a left turn onto Rt 59.
But, hey, the bright side is it should easy to give people directions to your home. You can't miss that bridge. I wonder will they name it the "Tall Grass Overpass".
Really, I don't care.
By Anonymous on June 22, 2008 8:57 AM
To Wake Up:
They are not closing WVHS, if they do another HS would have to be built. LOOK AT THE NUMBERS!
--------------------------------
What Wake Up has mentioned could happen, Anon. There is a good possibility that WV will be closed once the bubble passes and the HS population levels. This has already been acknowleged by Metzger and discussed on other blogs for some time. WV is the oldest and in need of continuing repairs, so it would be cost effective to retire it eventually, having newer schools in the north and south. However, the district will have to dig deeper into the south for students to keep Metea full at that point. But this won't be up for consideration for at least 8 years at the soonest, so no one is concerned about that right now.
BigMike, you sound very Big, so there! LOL
Bridge is awesome!! It connects the bike paths and you dont have to play "frogger" crossing 59 at 95th street trying to get to the parks and bike paths.
Also, if the enrollment numbers continue to fall below the fcsts as they have been doing for a few years now, who knows? maybe in 8 or 10 years tallgrass will be walkers (via the ped bridge) to NV if the enrollment continues to fall after the spike passes.
If not, Then At the very least, in the age of 5 dollar gas; I can walk or ride my bike for errands (Dominicks, Blockbuster, haircuts etc etc all in those stripmalls on the NV side of route 59) and not get in the car for a 1 mile trip!!! You waste more gas just turning the car on than in the actual drive LOL.
Good deal anyway you slice it!!!!!
By Anonymous on June 19, 2008 11:05 PM
All my friends "down by the bridge" don't have to wonder WHY the bridge was built. We are all wondering WHY it won't be used for what it was intended for.
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Please, get over yourself TG, out tax dollars weren't spent just so your kids could have walked to school. And Sun do you purposely word things to stir the pot "The bridge will connect neighborhoods like Tall Grass with destinations like the YMCA, library and Neuqua Valley High School". If that was why the city built it then send the bill over to the Tall Grass HOA and let them pay it. Give me my tax $ back. Their a plenty of areas in Naperville that need attention not just the whiners in SD 204 who built a home when nothing but farmland was around them. Now they want everyone in Naperville to open our wallets and make life easy for them.
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The government justification for the project included walkers to NVHS. Not sure WHY you blame the Sun for repeating what was in the bridge project justification.
The TG residents will still be able to use the new bridge to access NV. When their WV athletes are playing at NV it will be very convenient for the parents to go to NV and watch. Go Warriors!!
There is more on the east side of Rt 59 than NVHS. There is a major recreational facility at Frontier Park used by scores of youth sport teams, the YMCA, and the Library along with a host of retail opportunities. The bridge opens all of these facilities to the people on the west side of Rt 59 without the need for expending $4.00+ per gallon gasoline. Just because the high school kids won't use it to go to school after 2009 doesn't mean it's not necessary.
You betya. Right on the mark.
Also dont forget the "errands" Walk/bike to Grocery movie store, haircuts, etc etc
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By eric on June 25, 2008 10:16 PM
There is more on the east side of Rt 59 than NVHS. There is a major recreational facility at Frontier Park used by scores of youth sport teams, the YMCA, and the Library along with a host of retail opportunities. The bridge opens all of these facilities to the people on the west side of Rt 59 without the need for expending $4.00+ per gallon gasoline. Just because the high school kids won't use it to go to school after 2009 doesn't mean it's not necessary.
Some questions...
1. If the Feds hadn't kicked in 75% of the cost... would this bridge have ever been built if it was just up to us to pay for it? Or is this just another case of wasting federal money and Naperville doing our fair share to contribute to the national deficit?
2. How was it possible for the city to design such an absolutely ugly bridge adjacent to a brand new commercial district? Are the people entrusted with selecting designs totally devoid of any architectural knowledge? I haven't seen a bridge this ugly since I drove the Dan Ryan and saw a similar one next to the "projects".
3. Is the city planning to install some type of a "people counter" on the bridge so we can learn what kind of utilization this bridge actually gets vs what was anticipated and hopefully before another one of these hideous monstrosities darkens another horizon somewhere else in the city?
Yes, the bridge is ugly! I saw the same bridge on the way to U of C hospital, in a rough place.
It's the utility of the bridge not how it looks...that's important. I would not want a penny more spent on beauty. Not sure if they are going to paint the bridge or not, but I like it for what it provides to the community.
By Anonymous on June 27, 2008 9:54 AM
It's the utility of the bridge not how it looks...that's important. I would not want a penny more spent on beauty. Not sure if they are going to paint the bridge or not, but I like it for what it provides to the community.
I suppose you also hang your laundry outside to dry.....
I happen to think the bridge is good looking!
We were there on 6/13 when it first arrived and spoke to the project manager for the city. We asked why the bridge was already rusted. She said it's a self-weathering steel called "Cor-Ten". It was designed to rust, actually strengthening the structure and giving the bridge its distinctive red/brown color.
Ever see the Daley Center in the Loop? Same type of steel.
Let's see how long it is before the kids start throwing things over the bridge. I understand they are going to have some kind of guard for that but unless it is fully enclosed I don't see how they can avoid that. It's very scary to see that happen.
The bridge is enclosed, sides and top (we drove slowly under to see; we thought of this also). Something could be squeezed thru the fencing and dropped onto traffic below, but it would have to be pretty small, nothing along the lines of a frozen turkey.
And I regret to have to admit it, but I think the material used for the bridge is ugly, too. Not the bridge's form, architecturally it looks kinda cool. But that rusty "Cor-Ten" material gives the bridge a very industrial and urban feel, like the only thing missing is the graffiti. No quaint riverwalk bridges here. Of course, I knew this was what we would get when the bridge was in the planning stage years ago, which was why I was never too jazzed about it. But gas wasn't over 4 bucks a gallon then, either.
Downtown Naperville hangs baskets of flowers from it's Metra bridges, like the one spanning Washington next to 5th Ave Station. That helps minimize it's industrial feel and gives it a softer look. Maybe we could consider something like that.
Yeah, the ugly bridge is enclosed with even uglier "backyard" fencing material. Real classy. I'm sure all of the merchants on either side of the street who are paying sky high rent thanks to the efforts of their architects are glad to see this rusting hulk in their field of view.
Even the City of Chicago has installed some beautiful bridges in the last 10 years, many painted different bright colors, some stone, some concrete.
Nice to know our city council choose "rusting steel" to compliment the rest of the architecture along Rt. 59. Yep, even the city was too cheap to spring for a coat of paint. Things is, I'm willing to bet this thing gets a coat of paint sooner rather than later. Any one else want to guess how long will it take before we see the first graffiti on this bridge?
By Anonymous on June 28, 2008 4:41 PM
Nice to know our city council choose "rusting steel" to compliment the rest of the architecture along Rt. 59.
I agree, how dare they put up that rusting hulk and diminish the inherent beauty of those strip malls -- one of the finest examples of neo-modern strip mall architecture ever. People from Prague, Amsterdam, and Kyoto sign up for 2-week tours to come see the strip mall architecture along Rt 59. (from I-88 all the way to Plainfield) bypassing the chance to see such Chicago architectural gems as The Rookery, the Monadnock, and the Oliver. Now this world-class strip mall architecture is ruined...RUINED I tell you...by the hulking eyesore that is the pedestrian bridge. AND THEY DARE PUT THIS IN NAPERVILLE!!! Daniel Burnham is turning over in his grave.
Quick, someone with some common sense (and some serious $$$) call Helmut Jahn and get this fixed before those big-box retailers in sight of the bridge pull out!
Oh the humanity!
I don't even want to think about what this bridge is going to look like in 10 or 20 years.
Sadly this is just another mistake that is going to outlive all of those who were responsible for making it.
Supposedly the city paid only $625K out of the total of $2.5MM total for the bridge. Let's say for argument sake that a really beautiful bridge... one that made an architectural statement cost $3.0MM. Personally I wouldn't have a problem if the extra $500K came from the "cultural fund". To me, that would be an excellent way to use the several million dollars we collect in this fund each year. Certainly it would be a far better use than spending "cultural funds" on city employee overtime.
Seems to me the city council has never been able to come to terms with and clearly state the purpose of the culture tax. Clearly they have never been able to clearly communicate the purpose of this tax to the public. Every year it turns into "Christmas in July" when they try to decide how to spend the money. Looking at where the money is and has been going it is obvious that this fund has become a "social service support fund" and not a "cultural fund", at least not exclusively.
Personally I have a problem with spending these funds on anything other than culture for several reasons. The most important is the most basic. If you think about one of the reasons the United States was formed... well unfair taxation was one of the biggies. Telling citizens that a tax is to be collected for one reason ("culture") and then actually spending the money on something else ("social service") is just fundamentally wrong. This is not an argument for or against the social service agencies and/or their need for funding. Rather this is an argument about holding the city council accountable for spending tax money for the reason it was collected.
Anyone ever been to Columbus, IN? A small town with a lot of fantastic architecture... government buildings, schools, churches, non-profits, etc. Cummins Engine long ago established a foundation to pay the architectural fees for certain new structures and renovations. Columbus now has some really fantastic buildings designed by important architects, several of whom are world famous.
Now this is just one example of a community positively benefiting from culture thanks to the vision and dedication of a private foundation. If our city council could spend the time to get things right with our own little "culture fund" we could potentially see some positive, long-lasting benefits start to grow throughout our own community. Now that would be leadership. And even better it would be stewardship.
Frank Lloyd Wright;
You forgot to mention the other the stunning designs of the electrical substation, bus yard, storage units and marina in the close vicinity of this new bridge. How dare they put up such an ugly bridge that detracts from those beautiful structures?
All of those aghast at the rusty bridge must not get out much. Just about every bike/pedestrian bridge in the area are the same design. Take a look next time you are out and about, they seem to get better with age. They look rustic if you ask me, and considering the neighborhood, it fits quite well.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Some may like it, some may not.
I am more interested in the functionality of the bridge.
As someone pointed out above; its not like the sea of strip malls along route 59 are super easy on the eyes!!! no quaint shops and special architectural regulations needed on route 59. vastly different look on route 59 than say in downtown naperville.
Anonymous on June 29, 2008 3:00 PM
You are a snob.
This bridge may be ugly.
City Hall is even uglier.
Ugliest though goes to the carillon.
One could say that we have some really ugly government here in Naperthrill.
By RJ on June 29, 2008 5:06 PM
All of those aghast at the rusty bridge must not get out much. Just about every bike/pedestrian bridge in the area are the same design. Take a look next time you are out and about, they seem to get better with age. They look rustic if you ask me, and considering the neighborhood, it fits quite well.
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I know there are many bike/pedestrian bridges like this in the area. That's how I knew this was most likely what we were getting for a bridge; that's what most of them are.
I think you're confusing rusty with rustic. The covered wood bridge on the riverwalk is rustic; Cor-Ten bridges are just rusty.
There's another Cor-Ten bridge across McCoy west of Eola. It's been there for many years and has concrete supports underneath on both sides. Over time the rust has been washed down creating big rusty colored streaks on the concrete. Not something I see and think gee, isn't that a handsome look. It reminds me more of urban blight than rustic charm.
Hopefully the bridge material will get better with age, or my eyesight will get worse. Either way, I'm sure I'll get used to it.
To GF: My girls want to paint the bridge and add lights to it during the holidays to improve its appearance. My husband only cares that the bridge is functional. I think it's a guy thing! ;).
We'll use it to walk to Neuqua and the library until we're forced to ride busses to our new high school.
The bridge is fine with me. Its just a shame that the School District in all of its wisdom can't see that there is a cost benefit to having kids, who can walk, walk to school. I suspect one of the board members is on the take from the bussing company since the school location and boundary designations are going to make the bussing company richer and us alot poorer with gas prices at ~$5/gal and projected to be at $7/gal within 2 years (When Metea opens. If you were fiscally responsible wouldn't you be looking at options to reduce bussing costs? Maybe we should have built a few more bridges in 204 instead of buying over-priced church land near Batavia.
Thanks for the use of the bridge for as long as we're allowed to use it. on June 30, 2008 3:06 PM
"I suspect one of the board members is on the take from the bussing company
Interesting. You're accusing someone on the school board of committing a felony. Care to back it up?
You wouldn't get my kids to walk on that bridge to/from school. Has anyone seen where that bridge ends on the west side of 59. The middle of a bus yard and boat storage garage. Yeh, that's just where I want my kid walking through. You think they could of come up with a better place along that area to put the bridge.
Thanks for the use of the bridge for as long as we're allowed to use it. on June 30, 2008 3:06 PM
We'll use it to walk to Neuqua and the library until we're forced to ride busses to our new high school
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Why won't you continue to use the library after you start going to Waubonsie? There's also a YMCA, athletic fields and a great park to use. If you're upset about the redistricting join the crowd, but like it or not this bridge provides a value to many members of our community.
I remember a certain group staging a protest against the board by "walking" over 59 to Neuqua to prove how easy it was. I wonder how many of these people have kids who walked to school every day by crossing 59? Remember (before the bridge) how the point was that these kids can and would walk even if they had to cross 59? Did they follow through on this? Will there be a large group of walkers next year going to Neuqua from subdivisions W of 59? It may highlight their point if there are.
Maybe it's not to late to sandblast it down to bare metal, prime it, and paint the dog gone thing?
I'd vote for sky blue in the hope this hideous excuse for a bridge could blend into the sky and horizon and lessen the visual disturbance it currently creates.
By Anonymous on June 30, 2008 5:58 PM
You wouldn't get my kids to walk on that bridge to/from school. Has anyone seen where that bridge ends on the west side of 59. The middle of a bus yard and boat storage garage. Yeh, that's just where I want my kid walking through. You think they could of come up with a better place along that area to put the bridge.
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Read back a bit on this blog. That question was answered by Anon2 on June 19, 2008 6:35 PM. This blogger posted a link to a city site which maps out Naperville bike paths. This location was chosen for the bridge because it links bike prairie paths on each side of 59. Check it out; the location makes perfect sense from a recreational biking/walking perspective. Thanks Anon2 for the info!
And let's be honest, folks. Recreational biking, walking, jogging and kids getting to areas on the other side of 59 when the weather is fair is what this bridge will mostly be used for, not walking to and from school. I've raised two teenagers; the third one is fast approaching this age. There is no way either of them would have walked to school, especially in the winter when it was dark outside and around freezing. Especially when bus service was available and always will be because of 59, or when there was someone available, a parent or friend's parent, who could take the time to drive them all to and from school. The only time they walked was when they missed their bus and they couldn't reach anyone for a ride, in which case they'd have to walk, bridge or no bridge. They would never choose to walk simply because a bridge was there.
Some of you die-hard Neuqua Valleyists may consider sending your kids en masse across the bridge in the fall to make a statement to the school board, and this is fine. But don't expect these kind of "statements" to change anything. The school board won't care. By law the busses still have to run, even if they're not fully utilized. And once the cold weather sets in, I wouldn't walk if I could get a bus ride. Why expect the kids to?
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I'm tired of hearing so many bemoan the fact that the bridge won't be used by students to walk to and from school when we all know the majority of them don't anyway.
The bridge is a useful addition to our area (even despite the Cor-Ten) for many other reasons. Let's enjoy it for that.