The City Council voted to approve a services agreement with Farnsworth Group on the ITEP-funded bike-trail project, authorizing $103,446 in engineering services and a city cost-share to proceed into phase 2 design. The council approved the motion by voice roll call after a presentation and questions about schedule and funding.

Kathy Mulvey of Farnsworth Group told the council the project began with an ITEP application submitted to IDOT in November 2020 and that the city was awarded those funds in June 2021. Mulvey said the project completed a public open house in 2024 and that the city submitted a scope-change request to IDOT after incorporating community feedback. She said IDOT "did move funding from the feds to the state so that should accelerate the phase 2 review process for the project." Mulvey also said the city submitted a time-extension request and that ITEP awards typically have a five-year window from the award date.

The nut of the action was the council’s approval of the Farnsworth services agreement to begin phase 2 engineering. Council members pressed staff and the Farnsworth representatives on the reason for the delay — Mulvey said the quality‑based selection (QBS) process required by IDOT and subsequent scope adjustments after the open house contributed to the timeline. Mulvey noted that phase 1 remains pending IDOT approval of the amended scope and accompanying cultural clearances; once IDOT signs off, phase 2 design can proceed toward bid-ready documents.

The approval authorizes $103,446 in engineering services; council discussion referenced a local share to be paid from the TIF district. Two figures were cited during the discussion for the city portion: $26,622.46 and $26,006.22. Council members confirmed there is contingency funding and that the city share is budgeted in the TIF.

Mulvey gave a project schedule that remains roughly in line with earlier estimates: design roughly completing in 2026 with a November 2026 letting shown in the project packet and the majority of construction anticipated in the 2027 construction season, subject to IDOT’s remaining approvals. She cautioned that the scope-change approval from IDOT and the completion of required clearances are gating items. Mulvey said the phase 2 work in the packet is the direction staff requested to proceed while awaiting formal IDOT sign-off.

Discussion items the council raised included whether a scope change had caused the delay (Mulvey said yes, the scope request followed public input and coordination with city stakeholders), whether the switch of funding from federal to state administration affected timing (Mulvey said the state shift should accelerate phase 2 review), and whether the city can act to shorten the time while awaiting IDOT (Mulvey said the project team already provided materials to state staff and had been directed to move into phase 2 design while formal approvals are finalized).

The council voted to approve the services agreement. Councilmembers voting in favor included Mike Barr (mover), Jerry Causer (second), Chan Gill, S. Horner, A. Horner, Cranford, Howard, Willie and Giovannini. The motion carried.

The council did not adopt any changes to the grant terms; the project remains contingent on IDOT’s approval of the scope change and the state’s completion of cultural clearances before phase 1 can be formally closed and phase 2 fully executed.

The project affects an off‑road trail along the ComEd corridor and related on‑road facilities throughout the city; staff said further reports will follow as IDOT responds to the scope and time‑extension requests.