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IDOT – Thursday, July 16, 2026
Project ROCK completed in Dixon
IDOT, the city of Dixon and community members gathered in the city’s Page Park on a cold April morning in 2025 to break ground on Project ROCK (Revitalizing Opportunities for the Community and Kids). Behind them were the remains of the piers along the abandoned Illinois Central Railroad line and across the Rock River was Viaduct Point, the first trail segment that opened in 2024.
The group gathered again recently on a hot July morning to celebrate the completion of the $14 million project, which includes a bike and pedestrian bridge across the Rock River, new paths and improvements in Page Park as well as repairs and resurfacing of Chuck Vail Drive and Page Drive. The event grew so large that it not only filled the bridge’s pavilion but had people standing in the sun along the bridge to take in the moment.
“This project is a testament to everyone working together to help achieve a vision for mobility and quality of life,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We are proud to partner with Dixon on Project ROCK, which is not only creating a real transportation option for residents, but a place where a community can come together in new and meaningful ways.”
Made possible by an $11.9 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant, Project ROCK is the final link to connect Dixon’s south side with the city’s riverfront as well as Dixon High School and the park district’s baseball diamonds and tennis courts. Features of the bridge include a central pavilion area with seating, two viewing platforms and lighting.
The bridge also has a new name, Petunia Crossing. Dixon High School graduate Spencer Thompson came up with the name when one was being determined and it was chosen in an online vote. Thompson was one of the many speakers at the ceremony.
“Petunia Crossing is more than a bridge. It is a connection between our neighborhoods, our schools, our parks, our riverfront and the future we have been working toward for more than two decades,” said Dixon Mayor Glen Hughes. “Project ROCK reflects what can happen when a strong local vision is matched with state and federal partnerships, and we are grateful to everyone who helped bring this transformational project to life.”
Project ROCK completes another phase of the Dixon Riverfront Masterplan, which had its conceptual beginnings more than 20 years ago with the development of Dixon’s Heritage Crossing Riverfront Plaza downtown. Planning for the first phase, called Viaduct Point, began in 2016. After securing $3.4 million through IDOT’s Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, the project was opened in 2024.
Viaduct Point starts at a rail line that begins at-grade at its south end near IDOT’s District 2 headquarters on Depot Avenue but soon crosses high above city streets via three stone arch bridges crafted from Galena limestone quarried locally in Dixon. The arches — which run over First, Second and Third streets — are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and were rehabilitated in 1999. A wooden boardwalk connects the path with a spur into downtown Dixon.
“Our beautiful Rock River is the heart of Dixon and the entire Sauk Valley. Project ROCK is a generational investment into building up infrastructure around the Rock River in a way that both improves quality of life both and economic potential,” said state Sen. Li Arellano Jr. (R-Dixon), who was Dixon’s mayor when the projects were initiated. “I was honored to be part of a project that will bring joy and productivity to the entire region for generations to come.”
The event paid homage to Larry Reed, a former IDOT District 2 program development engineer and a former chair of the Dixon Riverfront Commission, and former District 2 Engineer Bill Ost. Both men presented a vision for the future with the hopes of spurring ideas and funding opportunities to make these plans and visions a reality, which included salvaging the former railroad’s bridge piers that make the foundation of Petunia Crossing.
“The completion of Project ROCK is a milestone moment for Dixon,” said City Manager Danny Langloss. “This project expands access to our riverfront, creates new opportunities for recreation and connection, and builds on the momentum happening throughout our community. Petunia Crossing will be enjoyed by residents and visitors for generations.”
Langloss teased that word will come soon about future development along the river near Viaduct Point, as well as planning for the path’s future extension east into Bloody Gulch Park near Interstate 88.
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