McHenry County board hears stark warning on township bridge funding gap as townships form committee to prioritize repairs

McHenry County transportation officials told the county board March 12 that a growing shortfall in bridge funding threatens repair and replacement of township bridges and could force closures that affect public safety and farm access.

"Aging township bridges are near a tipping point," Joe Karpolski, county engineer and director of transportation, told the board. He said the county historically covered engineering, land acquisition and construction for township bridges, but rising project scopes and costs have placed an "ever-increasing burden on the bridge fund."

Assistant County Engineer Daryl Couns said the county inspects about 81 township structures: roughly half are in good condition, 11 are the worst and already under work, and a further cohort of about 21 are approaching concern. Couns noted that construction and engineering costs have risen far faster than inflation over the last decade and cited a 1993 example that cost $172,000 to build versus multi-million-dollar replacements today.

Assistant Transportation Director Scott Hennings summarized the funding picture as a three-legged stool: federal formula funds, state Township Bridge Program (TBP) funds, and local matching levies. He warned that formula federal bridge funds are overprogrammed across Illinois and "not available" for new projects through about 2028, though competitive federal programs may become options. Hennings said the state TBP has grown McHenry County's share to about $650,000 per year, but local matching money has been sharply reduced: "as part of the 2026 budget, the county board reduced those two funds down to $10,000 per year, all but eliminating them for possible use in the future for township projects."

Township highway commissioners said they are stepping up. Jim Condan told the board all 17 townships have agreed to work together, created a five-member bridge committee, and aim to move roughly two bridges a year through the early engineering phases with current state funding and limited local match. "Our plan was first to verify that all the road districts wanted to work together as a group," Condan said, adding the committee will rely on county staff for technical assistance and grant applications.

Township officials and emergency responders pressed the board on consequences. Thomas Linamman, fire chief for a Greenwood-area fire protection district, recounted a January 2024 response where a closed county bridge forced a detour that increased response time from seven to 12 minutes to a barn fire involving an 18,000-gallon propane tank. "This potentially could become a life and death matter," Linamman said.

Local farmers also testified that bridge closures disrupt equipment movement and farm operations. Phil Walters described practical barriers to running farm machinery and moving product when bridges are weight-restricted or closed.

Board members pressed staff on possible options: bonding, county-match programs, or restoring levy levels. Several members said past levy reductions have long-term consequences and urged the board to consider restoring funding to allow at least three bridge improvements a year and to help rural townships with limited tax bases. Several members also asked staff to aggressively pursue competitive state and federal grant opportunities and to coordinate with the Farm Bureau and municipal partners when projects affect local stakeholders.

Hennings and Karpolski said the county will continue inspections and technical support until state inspection changes take effect in 2028 and that staff will help townships prioritize projects and apply for grant programs when available.

Next steps: the township association's five-member committee will advance candidate projects to county staff; the county board and transportation committee agreed to work on a coordinated approach to prioritize projects and to explore policy options — including possible changes for rural areas in IDOT district standards and a county match strategy — before federal formula funds return in 2028.