Replacing the Home Avenue pedestrian bridge over I-290 will cost Oak Park between $12 million and $15 million, Village Engineer Bill McKenna told residents at a Wednesday, July 8, open house. That's $2 million to $7 million more than the $8 million to $10 million McKenna estimates IDOT will contribute for a standard replacement.

The gap means Oak Park taxpayers could be on the hook for millions unless the village lands federal grants. McKenna said he hopes those grants could cover up to 80% of the added cost, with the remainder drawn from Oak Park's capital improvement fund. No federal application has been filed yet.

Three design concepts

Architect Miguel Rosales presented three options at the meeting, held at the Oak Park Conservatory. All three are wider than the existing bridge and include accessible ramps for bikes and wheelchair users on both ends, plus stairs.

Option A features a clean arch with light cables to make the crossing feel more open. Option B draws on industrial character, using a truss system similar to bridges spanning the Chicago River. Option C is the boldest: a tall singular arch that Rosales called the most "impactful" and "visible" of the three.

Why the village wants more than a standard bridge

The Home Avenue bridge is the only one of Oak Park's seven expressway crossings owned and operated entirely by the village, not IDOT. The Illinois Department of Transportation has committed to funding a standard replacement as part of its broader plan to rebuild the Eisenhower Expressway corridor, but Oak Park officials want a "signature" structure.

McKenna argued that hundreds of thousands of drivers pass through the I-290 corridor and a distinctive bridge could draw attention to the community. He also noted that ongoing repairs to the aging structure have been draining village funds.

"We're looking at all sorts of lighting opportunities for it, so that as a user on the bridge, you would have a much different experience than you would on an IDOT pedestrian bridge," McKenna said.

The money

| Item | Estimated range |
| Village's preferred designs | $12 million–$15 million |
| IDOT's estimated contribution | $8 million–$10 million |
| Funding gap | $2 million–$7 million |
| Federal grant target | Up to 80% of gap |

The bridge project has been in the village's pipeline since at least fall 2025, when a memo to the village president referenced it in the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan and the 2026 Budget.

What's next

Residents can submit comments online at engageoakpark.com/homeavebridge through Wednesday, July 22. Those comments will be added to the public meeting record.

After the comment period closes, the plan commission will meet to review public input. McKenna said he hopes to present preliminary designs to the village board later in July. The project will then go to IDOT for review. McKenna's stated goal: be "shovel ready" as soon as possible to improve the village's chances of securing federal funding.

Home Avenue residents Bob and Sue Larson, who attended the open house, said they were pleased the bridge would remain pedestrian-only and that accessible ramps were included. Both preferred Options A and B over the tall-arch Option C.