I had no idea, but I still want to know what the heck is going on, is Lombard seriously demanding the GE pay for a bridge that is in Lombard, or what?? Don't we do enough to support Lombard by going to their mall, their department stores on Roosevelt road, and actually go to their farmers market as well as Glen Ellyns. The south of Lombard is part of Butterfield park district anyways, and I know both park districts allowed us to use their pools when GE's pools weren't up to par th opening weekend. But, of course, we reimbursed them (I hope) as the park district promised. Why are we so against helping with the bridge repairs?? I thought GE residents cared about what was going on around here!

it's only a bridge, after GE spent HOW MUCH on a new fitness center?? I'm sorry, I don't get it.

I think a huge percentage of the GE population doesn't know the difference, so whether is it the GEPD or just GE, I think all the residents end up paying in the end. I have lived in GE since 1985, so are my taxes paying for the Ackerman Sports Complex OR the construction of a new bridge on HILL AVE, that connects Lombard to Glen Ellyn?? Does it really matter to the GE taxpayer?? JUST SAYIN'

I believe that we do care. Lombard, for one reason or another, is trying to act as a playground bully. They probably don't want to close that bridge despite the rants of others, but I think they either have no choice or are simply trying to make our board look foolish. Either way, it is bound to backfire in many ways.

Paying Lombard to maintain their property when they have much bigger tax revenues from many, many more residents, restaurants, car dealers, department stores and that wildly successful hotel at Yorktown is preposterous. It is an idiotic precedent to set. I understand the panicky nature of those who feel that our board and president have done nothing to appease this monster of a problem, but that simply isn't the case.

For those living south of the tracks, I understand that losing that bridge might . . . might . . . be a small inconvenience. But really, there are other ways to get to Finley or downtown Lombard. Take Spring to 53. A little longer trip, but still gets you there.

Again, I freely admit that I do not utilize that bridge more than once a month, but even if I did, I'd happily change my driving path before I'd write a check for any amount to a crazy neighbor who appears hellbent on making us look stupid and is obviously trying to extort us. They are not closing the bridge out of frustration with Glen Ellyn, they are closing it because they either do not want to maintain it or can't. My guess is that it is the latter.

Had they simply approached Steve Jones and said, "Listen, we can't afford to fix this thing and we'd really appreciate a some assistance." Might be a different story.

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Had they simply approached Steve Jones and said, "Listen, we can't afford to fix this thing and we'd really appreciate a some assistance." Might be a different story.

I would agree with one caveat. All of this talk is presupposing GE has the money to give Lombard for the renovation of the bridge. I don't seem to recall any recent news of a huge budget surplus.

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Does it really matter to the GE taxpayer??

Yes, it does. GE residents pay tax to GE to build/maintain GE infrastructure. Lombard residents pay tax to Lombard to build/maintain Lombard infrastructure.

This is like your neighbor calling and asking you to pay for half their lawn service or else they'll let it grow to weeds and look terrible.

No one is closing down a bridge. This is absurd.

It might close down for repairs -- but no one is going to close the bridge permanently. There's far more traffic on that bridge than people are suggesting.

It'd do Lombard far more economic damage than GE anyway.

I was ok with giving (giving is the word) Lombard 10-20% of their costs to be a good neighbor - but not when I found out they de-annexed their own land (so that the bridge was no longer contained within Lombard) right after they got the costs involved. Then Lombard tried to hit up the school district and the county - and got resounding no's. If Lombard had been nice, or even rational, that's one thing - but they're not so far.

And apparently from reading comments posted in the Herald, many people using that bridge are neither Lombard or GE residents- They're from Villa Park, Wheaton, and Winfield using Taylor as an alternative to 38 or 64.

I live closer to that bridge that probably most of the people here, but I never use it and in fact, lived here for many years before I was even aware of its existence. I never had a reason to go east on Hill past Spring, and still rarely do. I just drive up 53 to St. Charles, when I need to get to downtown Lombard. (Which admittedly isn't that often.)

So close the damn thing. The majority of us in GE won't even notice.

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No one is closing down a bridge. This is absurd.

It might close down for repairs -- but no one is going to close the bridge permanently. There's far more traffic on that bridge than people are suggesting.

farber-
you would be suprised. The Ardmore Ave bridge in Villa Park, over the railways just south of Noth Ave has been closed down for over a year because of lack of funds to repair it. It has the same problem as this bridge and they can't afford to get it fixed. That bridge accomodated way more drivers than this one too.

Did Villa Park not get their 80% federal match mentioned here? http://invillapark.com...

Boy, that's sad if the feds, thanks to our congressman, gave funding to Lombard and not to VP - the Ardmore bridge really is used more, I think.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ted E.,

I agree that we should not pay Lombard for the bridge. I do use it, though, to get from my office in Villa Park to my home in GE. When Roosevelt Road is really stacked up, it's a nice alternate to permit me to keep moving. I'd miss it if it were gone, but the sun would still rise the next morning.

We live off Hill only about 1/4 of a mile away from said bridge. Whenever we need to go east, we head that way towards Finley Rd. If the bridge were closed or blocked off, sure, we could either take the underpass to Crescent, or Spring to 53 so it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I am concerned about the handful of businesses that exist just west of the bridge. A couple of car repair places, a doggie day care, a soapstone countertop distributor and an engineering company. Frankly, their landlords should be screaming bloody murder... a lot of their business comes from the east and who the heck wants to go 4 miles out of the way just to get around the closure?

Another thing Glen Ellyn should consider is the inevitable fact that now ALL of Elliot Construction's behemoth trucks will be traveling on Spring and Hill as they barrel their way to and from job sites. At least now a lot of them head east toward Finley.

That said, I still don't think GE should cough up even one penny...isn't there some kind of legal way to get Lombard to face up to the fact that this is their problem?

I agree, however, I believe Elliot does a considerable amount of driving past my house many times a day and of course -night. Loud disel trucks to say the least.
I do like that laundry over there by 7/11. Terrific owner!

They won't close it because it two years someone -- probably someone from Lombard -- will be claiming that it was a major mistake to close it. They'll complain about how it's costing twice as much to *reopen* it.

It's crazy. I realize there's a budget crunch, but to close down major pieces of infrastructure is always a big mistake. Two, three years down the road folks always -- always! -- always talk about how it was short-sighted, a mistake, etc. etc.

Lombard closes down the bridge, then I'd like to start banning Lombardians from COD -- even if they're paying customers.

Well . . . they actually pay the same tax to COD that we do. It isn't a GE school. Just happens to have been annexed into GE.

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Originally posted by farber55:

Lombard closes down the bridge, then I'd like to start banning Lombardians from COD -- even if they're paying customers.

I think we should check for identification at our village city limits just like they do in Arizona. If we see what looks like a Lombardian (particularly at OUR WalMart), we should check their ID. I think we can all finger folks from Lombard when we see them in our village. We might get some South-of-Roosevelts mixed in there, but I think they'll understand when they find out what we are doing.