Board directs staff to build simpler roundabout and not relocate major mains now after $800,000 relocation estimate

Engineering presented options July 7 for a planned roundabout at 150 Third Street and Ravinia Avenue, and asked trustees whether to relocate utilities that currently cross the intersection. Project scope and cost: George Khurshid told the board the full project (without utility relocation) is about $3,500,000 and that the village has secured roughly $2,300,000 in grants. Khurshid said relocating the utilities would add roughly $800,000 to the cost and that additional grant applications totaling about $1,800,000 were pending. Why it matters: major utilities — including a 36-inch water main that Khurshid said is about 35 years old — would sit beneath the roundabout if not relocated. Relocation would raise short-term costs but could reduce future repair complexity and cost if failures occur under the roundabout. Discussion and risk: trustees and staff discussed the age and expected useful life of the larger main (staff said large transmission mains can last 60 years and that the 36" main was not at immediate end-of-life but is 35+ years old). Public works staff described a recent pipe failure elsewhere that exceeded $100,000 in repair costs; board members noted repairs in a roundabout would increase temporary traffic disruption and concrete replacement costs. Board direction: after hearing options and timing constraints (staff said IDOT and grant timelines make a timely construction decision necessary), Mayor Dodge framed the trade-off: “So to me, the question is, do we spend $800 now, or do we say we're not gonna spend 800,000 now and maybe have an additional $50,000 in 25 years?” Several trustees said they preferred saving the $800,000 now and building a simpler central island that does not require moving the mains. That direction (leave utilities in place, simplify roundabout design to minimize hardscape in the center) was accepted by staff as the design path that will expedite project completion. No formal vote was recorded to relocate utilities; trustees provided staff direction to proceed with a simpler design and not to relocate the lines at this time. Khurshid said staff will continue grant coordination and noted additional grant award decisions are expected in roughly 3–6 months.