Peoria County approves engineering for large Rickener Road culvert; seeks Township Bridge Program funds

Peoria County's infrastructure committee authorized engineering work and an intergovernmental funding split for a seriously deteriorated culvert on Rickener Road that staff said will likely be replaced with a bridge.

Jeff (county highway staff) described the structure as a Limestone Road District structure built in 1972 with a sufficiency rating of 41.9 and "severe corrosion," including bottom heaving. He said the existing structure is substantial — about 86 feet long, 20 feet 5 inches wide and 13 feet tall — and that scour at both ends makes replacement with a bridge likely.

Staff recommended contracting phase‑1 and phase‑2 engineering plus right‑of‑way work with a consultant at a proposed fee of $253,750. The committee approved the engineering authorization and then approved an intergovernmental agreement with the township that staff said will use an anticipated IDOT Township Bridge Program (TBP) allotment of $579,313 for this project. Staff estimated total engineering, construction and right‑of‑way costs at $1,358,000 for 2028, with the county's share roughly $387,218.50 after TBP and cost splits.

Jeff said typical consultant design submissions often include a 10% buffer to cover environmental and right‑of‑way contingencies. Committee members asked about the receiving watershed and the relationship of the stream to nearby Lancaster Road crossings; staff identified the watercourse as a branch of Copper Creek and said the hydrology supports the need for a larger structure.

What happens next: staff will finalize the engineering contract, advance design and right‑of‑way work, and use the TBP allotment for construction in the 2028 program year. The intergovernmental agreement clarifies the township/county cost split and the use timeline for TBP funds (four‑year use window after allotment).