FAQs
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Village of Rockton plan to demolish the existing bridge on IL 75 over the Rock River. A new bridge will be constructed to replace the existing infrastructure.
The existing bridge is reaching the end of its service life and replacement will be more cost efficient than repairs needed to maintain the structure.
Two publicly-owned properties that are directly impacted are the Great River Trail (Rock River) and Settler’s Park.
The limits begin north of East River Street in the Village of Rockton, and end south of Hawick Street.
The first IL 75 bridge over the Rock River first was constructed in 1927. The bridge was reconstructed in 1974, and the last repairs to the existing infrastructure occurred in 2009.
- The project team considered multiple alternate scopes of work for addressing the bridge’s challenges.
- These included repairs, reconstruction, and replacement.
- The best long-term solution is a complete structure replacement.
- The new bridge aims to connect the proposed bicycle path accommodations on the south side of the river with existing facilities on the north.
This project includes three phases:
- Phase 1 – Preliminary Engineering
We are here! Phase scheduled for completion in 2025. - Phase 2 – Design
This will tentatively occur in 2025 – 2026. - Phase 3 – Construction
This will tentatively occur in 2027 and will complete the project.
The project team already decided that all items (flagpole, memorial plaques, sidewalk, and lookout area) will be saved and included in the new bridge design.
The design phase will occur in 2025-2026 and will flesh out the details of how the new bridge will look.
IDOT is working in close coordination with the Village of Rockton to ensure that all phases of the project provide solutions for all key stakeholders.
No, it is not too late for you to give your opinion. IDOT and the Village of Rockton held a Virtual Public Information Meeting, January 28, 2025.
The meeting included a presentation by project staff, as well as a Q&A to make comments and answer questions.
A recording of the Virtual Public Meeting is available to view, for those who are not able to attend in real time.
The Virtual Public Meeting kicked off a public comment period, which ran until Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Comments may be made in the following ways:
- During the Virtual Public Meeting
- On the project website’s comment form
- By email at Andrew.P.Dewey@illinois.gov
Traffic Alternatives During Construction
IDOT will close the bridge during construction, which will reduce building time by a year and decrease cost by 25 percent. Traffic will detour to the IL 2 bridges during construction.
- Narrow roadway widths mean that maintaining traffic on the existing IL 75 bridge using staged construction is not practical
- IDOT will close the bridge during construction
- Traffic will detour to the IL 2 bridges during construction
- Closing the IL 75 bridge will reduce construction time by a year + lower the cost by 25%
