Committee delays award of Main and Bridge Street crosswalk contract pending county input and cost review

The Committee of the Whole on Oct. 7 discussed whether to award a contract for the Main and Bridge Street pedestrian crosswalk project and withdrew the motion to award the contract, leaving the item on the committee agenda for two weeks while staff seeks guidance from Winnebago County.

Staff told trustees the village opened bids on Sept. 30 and received four offers ranging roughly from $46,800 to $70,900 for a project scope that includes high-visibility (green) crosswalk striping on the north leg of the intersection and two Americans with Disabilities Act curb ramps on the north corners. Staff said the striping alone was estimated in the $8,000–$9,000 range, while a full, ADA-compliant reconstruction to tie into the existing roadway would require lowering the road profile by about 1 foot and installing curb and gutter, storm sewer and sidewalks — at a preliminary cost estimate of about $2,000,000.

Brandon (staff member) told trustees that the intersection is in Winnebago County’s jurisdiction and the village had contacted Carlos Molina at the Winnebago County Highway Department to ask whether a temporary, lower-cost striping solution would be acceptable. Brandon said the county had not responded by the meeting and staff recommended waiting for the county’s review before proceeding.

Trustee discussion centered on three options staff outlined: (1) wait for the county to approve a temporary striping-only approach, (2) defer action until the intersection can be included in a full Main Street reconstruction project in the village’s capital improvement plan, or (3) rebid or revise the project next year to seek lower costs. Trustee comments questioned how much pedestrian traffic the intersection would generate once nearby development is complete and whether the high cost of full reconstruction was appropriate now.

Following debate, trustees withdrew the motion to award the contract and instructed staff to continue discussions with the county and return with additional information; the item will remain on the committee agenda for two weeks. No contract award was made at the Oct. 7 meeting.

The record shows bids of roughly $46,800–$70,900 for the posted scope, an estimated paint/striping cost in the $8,000–$9,000 range, and a staff estimate of about $2,000,000 for full intersection reconstruction that would be required to accomplish complete ADA compliance without later rework. Brandon noted that any interim striping would likely not meet full ADA requirements and would be contingent on county approval.