Village Requests Feedback for Proposal to Repair Historic East Bridge

The Village of Mahomet will apply for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant for two projects in town.

• One of the projects concerns the rehabilitation and enhancement of the historic East Bridge (the iron pedestrian bridge that crosses the Sangamon River)

• An informational meeting about both projects will be held at the Mahomet Public Library on September 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

• Residents are also encouraged to complete a survey regarding the East Bridge project. Please consider participating here before the survey closes on September 9.

For nearly two centuries, those traveling into and around Mahomet have needed to cross the Sangamon River to enter town. The earliest settlers in our area lived just north of the river on East Street, near a point that could be easily forded: safely crossed at a low water level by foot or horse. These days, we might cross the Sangamon River multiple times in one drive around town without thinking about it, but the history of bridges in Mahomet is vital to our town’s earliest and enduring economy.

Fording the Sangamon River at Mahomet

The historic “East Bridge,” now a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Sangamon River at East Street, was the first bridge constructed in Mahomet (then called Middletown). Destroyed by multiple floods, the East Bridge was constructed and reconstructed in 1848, 1855, 1901, and 1912. Throughout the twentieth century, the East Bridge saw wagon and, at times, even vehicle traffic until it was closed around 1975. Abandoned for 20 years, the bridge was then rehabilitated in 1997 as a pedestrian bridge, with a new, concrete south abutment and updated timber deck. These updates were made as part of the original multi-use trail construction that runs along the north side of Rt. 150 to the Sandy Ridge subdivision.

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In 2007, the East Bridge provided an ideal setting for research concerning infrastructure monitoring. A team from University of Illinois used wireless sensors that measured vibrations to determine stress on the bridge in response to activities such as walking, running, and jumping. The lead researcher on this team, Civil Engineering Professor Bill Spencer, ultimately discovered significant erosion through his continued inspection of the historic bridge. His findings eventually prompted a formal study by an engineering firm to create a repair plan.

A temporary support is in place to combat erosion on the north abutment of the bridge

It is clear that the East Bridge needs renewed attention. Erosion has caused the northeast corner of the bridge to settle nine inches. While the existing support, a temporary measure put in place in 2023, makes the bridge safe for pedestrians, the grant sought by the Village would allow for replacement of the entire north abutment, as well as enhancements such as lighting, benches, and signage sharing the bridge’s history. Given the 1997 replacement of the south abutment, a concrete north abutment would give the bridge solid footing for generations to come.

In the past 30 years, the original multi-use trail has developed into a Village-wide system connecting east and west areas of Mahomet. The East Bridge is a focal point of this trail system, and the Village believes that preserving the bridge as a piece of transportation history is vital for providing safe access to walk, run and roll throughout Mahomet.

Sources

• Anderson, Richard. "U of I team researches pedestrian bridge." The Mahomet Citizen, 20 August 2008.

• "Fording the Sangamon Creek, Mahomet," Childs Photograph Postcard, Undated. Champaign County Historical Archives, The Urbana Free Library, Urbana, Illinois.

• Pasley, G. J. "Spanning History." The Mahomet Citizen, 18 May 2017.

Thank you to Ellen Hedrick, Village Engineer, for her assistance with this article.