Resident reports driveway damage after Westmont alley work; public works director to follow up

Rob Obadzinski of 234 W. Burlington described damage to his driveway he says resulted from recent alley reconstruction and subsequent vehicle traffic. He presented photos during open forum and told trustees the alley work — completed about a month earlier, according to his statement — left an area of reinforced grass or mesh that did not withstand truck traffic.

Obadzinski said garbage trucks and other large vehicles could not make the turn and instead tracked over the edge of the new work, creating deep ruts and cracking a recently finished driveway apron. He said he has patched the hole twice and that the storm-sewer cover was clogged with dirt and the mesh, hindering drainage. The resident said the contractor involved was Flood Brothers and that calls to the village and the contractor led to conflicting guidance.

Public Works Director Reese, who was seated in the audience, invited Obadzinski to speak with her in the lobby after the meeting so staff could assess the damage and next steps. The board did not take formal action at the meeting; the exchange was recorded as an open-forum referral to Public Works.

Obadzinski asked whether the alley should have been wider or built with a different edge treatment to sustain truck loads, and he suggested that allowing grass-mesh edges on routes used by heavy vehicles wastes taxpayer money if the design cannot handle municipal vehicles. He said the tracks from the latest incident were still visible the morning after he spoke to the board.

Village staff offered to follow up with the resident; no timeline for repairs or a cost estimate was discussed during the Sept. 4 meeting.