The City of Rochelle and Ogle County, announced today the completion of Rochelle’s Industrial Gateway Project with the opening of the Steward Road Overpass. The $6.6 million project created a grade separation over four sets of railroad tracks and the intersection of Caron & Steward Road and opened 1,000’s of acres for industrial development.
The project was funded by the Economic Development Administration, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the BNSF Railroad, the City of Rochelle Railroad and Ogle County. Ed Rice, Ogle County Board Chairman said “This project will bring development opportunities to the region for many years”. In addition to the overpass, the project included improvements to the Steward Road and Richie Road intersection and the widening to a 3 lane cross section of Steward Road to the Lee County/ Ogle County line.
Rochelle City Manager, Ken Alberts commented about the public safety improvements the project brings to Rochelle. “This project resulted in the elimination of a major “at grade railroad crossing” which both improves safety for the motoring public and improves productivity for transportation companies in this emerging industrial corridor”.
Mayor Chet Olson commented on the economic development impact of the project: “The Steward Road Overpass is a another milestone in the development of Rochelle’s Industrial Corridor” Since the announcement 20 months ago of the commencement of the Gateway Project 1,000,000 sq ft of industrial space has been built, 300 jobs have been created and over $125,000,000 of capital investment has been made in Rochelle’s Industrial Corridor.
The Steward Road Overpass is located at the entrance of ProLogis Park – Rochelle. Dave Riefe, VP of Industrial Development with Prologis announced at today’s ceremony the expansion of the Bay Valley Foods plant in ProLogis Park-Rochelle. (See related story attached).