New Fox crossings report due in Batavia

BATAVIA -- A citizens advisory committee on river crossings is expected to present its findings to the Batavia City Council next month.

The committee, which has been working on the project since March 2008, has tentatively scheduled Dec. 7 for its report to the council.

The city hired a consultant to moderate the discussions and a professional engineer to assist the 10-member advisory group with technical questions regarding river crossings.

"They have put a lot of time and effort in their work," engineer Greg Chismark said. "They have taken their work very seriously."

The committee's mission was to help the City Council identify and discuss the issues and recommend possible river crossings.

Chismark said it has identified several bridge crossings, each with different approach alternatives. He said there are no cost data.

"It will be important that people read the full report to have an understanding of (the findings)," Chismark said.

Mayor Jeff Schielke said the council has deliberately stayed out of the discussions so the committee can make recommendations independent of any government influence.

"We wanted independent, free-thinking citizens to look at the issue and tell us what their reactions to it is," the mayor said.

As for the cost for a river crossing, the mayor points to other bridges that have been discussed since the 1990s and have not been built. Going to the state or federal government for financial assistance would be "an exercise of futility," Schielke said.

Committee members said they thought the City Council ought to address the "no bridge" option. That issue was outside of the scope of their mission, they said.