Illinois Road Builders Association

2008 Contractor of the Year Awards

City of Chicago Department of Transportation

Outstanding Structural Contractor of the Year: Rausch Construction Company

Bill Rausch: Project Executive

Brian Schallhorn: Project Engineer

Jerry VanSanten: Superintendent

Jackson Drive Viaduct Reconstruction Over Metra Electric

Rausch Construction is the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Outstanding Structural Contractor of the Year in Recognition of their work on the East Jackson Drive Bridge Project.

The existing bridge over the Metra/IC railroad was originally constructed in 1925. The bridge was fully closed to traffic on November 19, 2007 and was re-opened to traffic on June 20, 2008. Completion of the pedestrian rail, in Beaux Arts style of the original structure, was completed this fall.

The Jackson Drive Bridge sits between the Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park. Demolition and reconstruction of this bridge without impacting both the structure and the priceless displays of the Art Institute required methods of removal and installation.

Thanks to the efforts of Rausch Construction, the reconstruction of Jackson Drive Bridge was completed and the bridge was opened in time for the 2008 Taste of Chicago Festival despite the neighboring historical structures and working around Metra commuter tracks, the McCormick Busway and adjacent to the Art Institute of Chicago.