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Residents press Sugar Grove trustees for immediate action on deteriorating Hankis Road bridge
Summary
Multiple residents and trustees flagged the Hankis Road bridge as dangerous and urged either closure or temporary repairs; trustees said a township meeting is scheduled and that a plan is ready to move forward if intergovernmental agreement is reached.
Residents urged the Village of Sugar Grove board on March 3 to take immediate steps to address what they described as a dangerously deteriorated deck on the Hankis Road bridge, and several speakers criticized conflicting interagency opinions about who is responsible for repairs.
Cindy Coverly opened public comment by asking which government entity is responsible for repairing the bridge deck and what the village intends to do. A commenter identified as Gary said the bridge “remains in a dangerous condition” and urged that the village either close the bridge or direct public works to implement temporary repairs. He said conflicting legal opinions among agencies and “demeaning emails” to the Illinois Department of Transportation have complicated cooperation.
Trustees and staff said they had pursued negotiations and outreach: President Stillwell and trustees reported continued talks with the township and Metro West, and staff said a township meeting was scheduled for the next day. President Stillwell said, if agreement is reached, “we do have a plan ready…so that we can hopefully make that bridge safer for residents.”
Why it matters: Multiple speakers warned of vehicle damage and potential bodily harm from the bridge’s condition. The village has limited local authority for some repairs and has sought intergovernmental coordination; public commenters warned that adversarial communications can hinder cooperation with IDOT and other agencies.
Board actions and next steps: Trustees discussed the issue during staff and trustee reports; staff reported successful grant submissions for resurfacing programs (municipal program and a later program cited as the 2031 program) and said Hankis was part of a future grant list. Trustees said they will pursue intergovernmental negotiation; a township meeting was planned for the following day to attempt an agreement to forward to IDOT.
Public tone and risks: Speakers urged more professional, coordinated negotiations instead of social‑media campaigns and warned that litigation risk and interagency friction could delay necessary temporary repairs. Trustees said they would continue outreach and implementation depends on agreements with state and township partners.
