Waukegan council approves engineering contracts for Washington Street and Keller Avenue, adds phase 2 after debate over interim repaving

Waukegan City Council on Monday approved engineering work for a multi‑phase project on Washington Street and Keller Avenue and voted to amend that contract to add a Phase 2 scope, bringing the combined engineering total to $1,459,654.

The measure, which the council amended and adopted after discussion, funds Phase 1 engineering and an added Phase 2 task order. The city’s finance staff and city engineer said funds are available in the Street and Sidewalk Rehabilitation Fund (Fund 312) and that the engineering work is intended to make the corridor “grant‑ready” for larger reconstruction grants.

Jesus, city engineer, told the council the Washington Street effort is “the start of rebuilding Waukegan.” He said the scope covers resurfacing now between Frolic and Park Avenue and design work on Keller Avenue between Bellevue Road and Washington Street, and that complete reconstruction later could total about $25 million to $30 million in today’s dollars. “Once phase 1 engineering is done, we’ll see some features that will add additional safety,” Jesus said, naming possible road diets, signal coordination and other safety changes.

The council voted to amend the contract to add Phase 2 work — an additional $179,861.70 — and then approved the agreement as amended. Roll call on the final adoption showed unanimous support: Alderman Donnerworth, Alderman Florian, Alderman Hayes, Alderman Bolton, Alderman Guzman, Alderman Martinez, Alderman Felix, Alderman Newsom and Alderman Turner all voted aye.

Debate centered on whether to spend engineering and resurfacing dollars now when a later, larger reconstruction could require digging up the newly repaved surfaces. Alderman Hayes raised that concern directly during discussion: “Your tax dollars are being used to repave a road that will be ripped up in about 5 to 7 years even though that road will be good for, what, 10 to 15 years?” Hayes said. Several other council members echoed concerns about wasting limited funds if reconstruction happens sooner than expected.

Alderman Guzman, whose ward includes part of Washington Street, said the corridor’s condition makes interim work worthwhile: “I’d rather pay a little bit now, get it resurfaced, and then fix the problem in the long run,” he told the council, noting the road’s heavy traffic, vehicle damage reports and local complaint volume.

City staff said the immediate engineering work is meant to preserve safety and traffic flow while positioning the city to apply for state and federal reconstruction grants. The engineer explained that because the corridor’s current pavement and subgrade condition put it into a reconstruction category, the city must complete Phase 1 engineering to be eligible for many grant programs. The engineer estimated that typical state or federal projects of this size can take five to 10 years to reach construction.

Officials also noted other technical constraints. Council members asked about lead service lines in the project area; Jesus confirmed lead pipes exist in parts of the corridor and acknowledged that resurfacing may later require localized excavation to replace water services as utility upgrades are coordinated with reconstruction design.

City staff told the council they expect to seek grant funding while using available Fund 312 money to pay the engineering contract now. Staff said final decisions about larger reconstruction funding and timing will be subject to future budgeting and grant awards and will be coordinated with the incoming administration.

Why it matters: Washington Street is a primary arterial through Waukegan and has both safety and economic implications for residents and businesses along the corridor. Council members framed the engineering vote as both a short‑term fix to reduce immediate vehicle damage claims and a necessary step to qualify the corridor for future, larger reconstruction grants.

What the council decided: The council approved the engineering services contract as amended to include Phase 2 for a combined total of $1,459,654. The vote to add the Phase 2 scope passed on amendment and the full, amended contract then passed in the final roll call.

Next steps: Staff said the city will proceed with the Phase 1 and Phase 2 engineering tasks, pursue grant opportunities with the completed engineering package, and return to the council with budget and grant updates under the next fiscal planning cycle.