Race Street Bridge Over Boneyard Closing For Replacement

Motorists who use Race Street as a convenient route to and from downtown Urbana from the north will have to use an alternative route. Work is scheduled to begin Monday, March 11th,  on the replacement of the Race Street Bridge over Boneyard Creek.

The project is part of the city’s Boneyard Improvements Project.  City Civil Engineer Brad Bennett says the old bridge is NOT unsafe, but was due for replacement. Meanwhile, he says the new bridge will be more attractive, with the appearance of an old-fashioned stone bridge.

"It’s actually constructed out of concrete materials", said Bennett of the new bridge, "but we’ve got some esthetic components, some stone veneers and facades that will make it look much more pleasant than the typical concrete bridge structures that we have."

Bennett says the contractor has been given 90 days, or until June 9th, to complete the project. But he says Race Street will face more closures in the near future, because it is scheduled for a complete repaving, from downtown to the new bridge over the Boneyard.

Access to all businesses and other addresses on Race Street will be maintained during construction. But until the construction is finished, Bennett suggests motorists seeking a route between University Avenue and downtown Urbana use Broadway instead.