This year, the Town of Cicero’s Lights Over Morse Reservoir Festival during the July 4th weekend not only celebrated our country’s independence but also celebrated the opening of the long-anticipated walkway. The new walkway provides a safe way for residents move from one side of the town to the other side over Morse Reservoir. This beautiful new community fixture was much-needed and provides more accessibility and connectivity to the town.
Project Description: This project provides a walkway along the Morse Reservoir Jackson Street causeway and provides a safe pedestrian connection between Red Bridge Park and Community Park on each side of the reservoir.
The three main spans over the waterway utilize prefabricated steel trusses while the 18 remaining spans utilize side-by-side prestressed concrete double-t beams with a concrete overlay. Shell-piles proved to be a cost effective solution for the 21-span structure. Steel sheet piling with a concrete facing tie the proposed walkway into the existing topography. Decorative pedestrian railing and lighting provides safe passage for pedestrians while also enhancing the aesthetic impacts to the trail.
A major challenge for this project was coordinating the construction with the existing utilities, which included overhead power lines parallel to the alignment of the pedestrian bridge. The power utility temporarily de-energized their power lines so the contractor could set the bridge components, and permanently relocated their facilities onto the new pedestrian bridge.
Approximate Construction Cost: $2,400,000
Breadth of Services Provided: Design Services and Construction Inspection