Aurora mayor Tom Weisner speaks to a crowd last Friday at the "Last Blast" on the Downer Place bridges before this week's demolition and rebuilding project begin.  Photo by News Bulletin staff.

Aurora gives Downer Place bridges a big sendoff

Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower rode over it. Presidential John F. Kennedy spoke nearby. And it's been the site of parades too numerous to count.

The city of Aurora bid a farewell to its historic Downer Place bridges last week. The century-old concrete structures are set to be demolished starting this week and replaced with new spans linking the city's East and West sides and Stolp Island.
“There’s a lot of memories on this bridge,” said Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner. “President Theodore Roosevelt was included in a parade through this area, President Eisenhower was here in 1952 and John Kennedy spoke right over in front of City Hall in 1960.
“And there’s a century full of Memorial Day parades, Fourth of July parades, Veterans Day, our Downtown Alive. Just lots and lots of good memories.”
Friday's ceremony included remarks from city officials and others, a performance by cheerleaders and fireworks over the river as Weisner pressed a plunger to simulate demolition.

Commemorative hard hats and sledgehammers.  Photo by News Bulletin staff.

The actual deconstruction began on Monday, with crews carefully taking the bridge apare and even recycling some brickwork.
The new bridges are scheduled to reopen by November, with final work completed by spring.
Eighty percent of the $7.8 million project will be covered by federal funds, with the rest from local and state sources.
In the meantime, with bridges now closed, motorists driving through downtown Aurora should take notice of the new traffic patterns and signals.
Traffic will be detoured south down Broadway Avenue to Benton Street, which will be designated a two-way road between Broadway and River Street throughout the construction period.  Motorists can head west on Benton Street, north on River Street and then continue west on Downer Place to complete the detour.

Above, a look at the bridge in an early 20th century image.  Below, an artist's conception of what One Downer Place bridge will look like upon completion.  Images provided by City of Auora.  

Three downtown intersections have had signal modifications as part of the bridge closure or detour route. They include:
Benton Street/River Street – A protected left-hand turn from eastbound Benton to River will be active starting Feb. 6. Temporary lights have been added for westbound Benton as part of the new two-way traffic pattern.
Stolp Avenue at both Benton Street and Downer Place – Both intersections have been turned to all-way stops with flashing red lights and stop signs.
With downtown Benton becoming two-way, parking on the north side of the street between River and Broadway will be temporarily suspended until further notice.  Other ancillary signage will be posted next week to help motorists to their downtown destinations.
Motorists also are encouraged to use New York Street and North Avenue to bypass the Downer Place construction zone.