The north half of the new Route 34 overpass bridge is open to traffic for the first full day today.

Eastbound and westbound access is open with one lane in each direction. Pedestrian access is also open via a protected sidewalk across the bridge.

At-grade (surface level) crossing has been closed off as work on the south half of the bridge begins. The entire overpass project, which is on schedule, is expected to be completed this fall.

About the Route 34 Overpass Bridge Project

The bridge overpass will span over the train tracks that cross Route 34/Ogden Avenue. It will address traffic delays, support efficient response by emergency service providers and address safety concerns due to trains crossing Ogden Avenue at-grade.

The bridge will consist of two 12-foot-wide traffic lanes in each direction separated by an 18-foot wide concrete barrier median.

The existing shared-use trail running along the south side of the roadway and the sidewalk along the north side will be maintained. The sidewalk will be 8 feet wide and the trail 14 feet wide. A concrete traffic barrier will be provided to provide a safety separation between vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The project is constructed with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction during the process with no detours or total roadway closure.

You can read a full description of the $27 million project on this page of the Illinois Department of Transportation website.

 Project Fast Facts

• Project Start: Spring, 2014
• Project End: Fall, 2016
• Project Cost: $27,000,000
• Project Municipality: Aurora
• Project County: DuPage

About the City of Aurora

Located 35 miles west of Chicago, Aurora is the second largest city in Illinois with a population of 200,456. Aurora is known as the “City of Lights” because it was one of the first in the nation to illuminate its streets with electric lights. Situated along the Fox River and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88), the city extends 46 square miles encompassing Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will counties. Aurora also is home to six public school districts and seven townships. For the latest news, access to an archive of past news releases or to follow the city on Facebook or Twitter, visit the city’s website at www.aurora-il.org.