The $3.1 million bridge construction project on Lincoln Highway has hit a bump in the road.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is working with Civil Constructors of Freeport to rebuild the bridge next to the lagoon on Lincoln Highway.

Civil Constructors was issued violations from IDOT concerning soil erosion, according to an IDOT representative. The organization was given seven days to correct the violations, and they complied.

However, the Kishwaukee River did receive some damage, said David Zaber, visiting assistant professor of biological sciences and a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor.

Zaber, vice president of Habitat Education Center, an organization designed to protect and improve health of the environment as well as seek enforcement for those in breach of environmental laws, is distressed by the current state of the Kishwaukee.

“This is a serious pollution problem in an already seriously polluted river that is completely avoidable,” Zaber said.

The failure to control soil erosion leads to polluting public water resources, damaged fisheries, wildlife and diminished recreational activities, Zaber said. Soil erosion also can contribute to flooding.

The construction site led to increased sedimentation in the Kishwaukee River, Zaber said.

“Sedimentation is the single most damaging pollutant in the Midwest,” he said.
The municipal code of DeKalb strictly prohibits pollution of wastes, including those found at construction sites.

The construction site contributed soil, as well as oil and sediment, into the Kishwaukee. According to Chapter 19 of the DeKalb municipal code, it is unlawful for any person or private company to deposit anything in an unsanitary manner into a public water area.

Joe Wick, resident engineer with IDOT, said the employees are not to blame.
“The workers were only instructed to follow guidelines within the contract,” Wick said. He said IDOT acts as the owner and oversees the project, while Civil Contractors serve as the laborers.

Wick believes the project is headed in the right direction.

“Civil along with IDOT are working to do our best,” Wick said. “We are taking every step we can to prevent ill effects.”

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