Groundbreaking for Pedestrian Bridge, Riverfront Center Open House Set for July 30

The village will host a joint groundbreaking for the new, $1 million pedestrian bridge and open house for the Riverfront Center, headquarters of the non-profit Riverfront Foundation, at 5 p.m. Monday, July 30, at the Riverfront sign between and the DuPage River.

Funded by a $1 million Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant, is designed to increase accessibility for pedestrians and connect the east and west sides of downtown Plainfield.

The project will add a 10-foot-wide Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant walkway to the bridge, plus a decorative safety railing and a DuPage River overlook. The work will also widen and extend the bridge’s walkway along the south side of Lockport Street from James Street to Countryman Drive south of Village Hall, and include decorative streetlights from Village Center Drive to Main Street.

Immediately following the groundbreaking, the Riverfront Foundation, dedicated to revitalizing Plainfield’s “hidden gem” along the DuPage River, will host an open house and reception at the Riverfront Center, 24321 W. Lockport St.

The Riverfront Center formerly served as the control building for the village’s south wastewater treatment plant. The building has been renovated to include office and meeting space, with plans to build a concession area and bathrooms on the ground floor.