Kedzie Avenue over Marquette Park Lagoons

This $6M City of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) project consisted of the structural rehabilitation of two (2) highway bridges and the reconstruction of approximately one-half mile of roadway. Work included field inspection and preparation of the Bridge Condition Report and preliminary and final designs for the superstructure replacement and substructure repairs of two (2) single span (41’-6”) bridges in historic Marquette Park. Marquette Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and everything within the park contributes to the historic character of the park. Work included maintaining the appearance of the historic facades of the bridges while improving the safety features with new parapets and railings. The exterior beams are cast-in-place concrete tee beams while the interior beams are rolled steel beams. One (1) abutment at each bridge was made semi-integral and an aluminium walkway was placed beneath the north bridge.

Work also included reconstructing the Kedzie Avenue roadway, drainage system and street lighting between 71st Street and Marquette Road. The reconstructed roadway included a reconfigured cross section that provided four (4) lanes of traffic, an eight-foot wide sidewalk and ten-foot wide multi-use path. Roadway improvements also included landscaping and adding Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps at all intersections.

As the prime consultant, IEI was responsible for the overall project management and all structural engineering, civil engineering and surveying. Structural Engineering consisted of preparing the Bridge Condition Report including performing the field inspection, preparing the TS&L Drawings and the Final Plans including Special Provisions. Civil Engineering includes reviewing the Project Report and modifying it to conform to CDOT design requirements and preparing preliminary and final roadway plans which include roadway reconstruction, drainage, erosion control and maintenance of traffic plans as well as the special provisions associated with the design.

In order to improve vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian safety, the superstructure replacement included the placement of a new crash worthy concrete parapet between the traffic lanes and sidewalks. New exterior parapets were designed to match to the original parapet dimensions to maintain the character of the original bridge. Stainless steel railings and pickets were incorporated into the parapets to meet the overall railing height and maximum element opening requirements of modern design and safety standards. Work also included replacing the Kedzie Avenue roadway and drainage system between 67th Street and 71st Street and adding ADA  ramps at all intersections.

Highlights:

• Rehabilitating the two (2) existing bridges including improving their safety features while maintaining their historic character.
• Replacing the superstructure and both approach slabs, repairing the substructure and placing a drainage system behind the abutments.
• A multi-use trail was added to the east side of both bridges.
• The entire roadway and median were replaced from 67th Street (Marquette Road) to 71st Street.
• Left turn lanes were added at each intersection.
• The roadway lighting was updated and lighting was added to the walkway under the north bridge.
• The roadway drainage was improved.