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Saint Charles agrees to locally fund Prairie Street resurfacing after IDOT delay
Summary
The Government Services Committee recommended using local funds to proceed with Prairie Street resurfacing this construction season after IDOT declined to award a federally funded contract to the low bidder and the contractor agreed to honor March bid prices; the committee approved a motion to fund the project locally.
The Government Services Committee voted to recommend that the City Council fund the Prairie Street resurfacing project with local funds after the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) declined to award federally funded contracts to the apparent low bidder and the project’s timeline was put in doubt.
City engineering staff told the committee the resurfacing contract between Randall Road and 13th Street had been bid in March and Builders Asphalt was the low responsive bidder. IDOT, which administers the federal STP LAPO grant that was to cover roughly 75% of the work, declined to award contracts for projects involving Builders Asphalt while it conducts an internal review tied to a lawsuit; IDOT would not comment further, staff said. The city was offered the option to rebid through IDOT in August or September but staff cited three concerns: higher seasonal prices later in the year, the possibility that Builders could again be the low bidder, and a timeline risk that could prevent completion this construction season.
"The STP grant was supposed to cover 75% of this project or just north of $415,000," the city's public-works presenter said. The presenter also said Builders Asphalt had agreed to honor the March bid prices if the city chose to use local funds. The presenter recommended funding the project locally to complete work this season; staff said doing so would prioritize Prairie Street in the city's 2025 program and that construction could begin as soon as the contractor can schedule work, with an early-September target cited.
Funding the project locally would forgo the federal grant and leave a shortfall of about $163,000 for construction and construction engineering that staff proposed covering from home-rule tax funds and next year's road program. The presenter told the committee that without IDOT’s involvement the city could perform construction engineering in-house, eliminating an estimated $97,000 of IDOT-required inspection and paperwork.
Committee members raised process and communication concerns and asked whether state legislators or IDOT staff had been contacted; staff said conversations to date had been with IDOT and the local council of mayors, and that IDOT has been "playing it incredibly close to the vest" and would not provide more details while legal matters are unresolved. Several aldermen expressed frustration about delays and resident complaints about the road’s condition.
After discussion, a motion to locally fund the Prairie Street resurfacing project was made and seconded and the committee recorded a roll call; the presenter acknowledged the motion passed. The committee did not specify a revised project start date in the motion other than to say the contractor would prioritize the work and staff expected construction could be completed this season if scheduled promptly.
Public comment at the meeting included residents who urged patience and suggested waiting for IDOT to resolve its review; other commenters supported proceeding quickly to reduce ongoing resident complaints.
