Council approves $30,180 design contract for water-main relocations tied to IDOT Mill Creek culvert project

The Palos Park Village Council voted Jan. 27 to hire Hancock Engineering for $30,180 to prepare design and bidding documents for village water-main relocations required by an Illinois Department of Transportation reconstruction of box culverts that carry Mill Creek under local roadways.

Commissioner Bitton, presenting the Public Works and Streets report, said IDOT will be reconstructing two box culverts carrying Mill Creek and that the changes in size and depth of the new culverts will require the village to relocate its water mains at each site. “This reconstruction will cause A Hundred And 20 Third Street to be closed to traffic in this area for approximately 6 months,” Commissioner Bitton said.

Bitton said the work is a village responsibility under IDOT permit requirements for utility work in state rights-of-way and that the proposal from Hancock includes preparation of construction plans, specifications, bidding documents, assistance acquiring an Illinois EPA permit and coordination with IDOT. The project will go out to bid and work is expected to take place this year once the road closure occurs, Bitton said; the Hancock proposal is a lump sum of $30,180 and will be charged to the water fund.

“Staff recommends approving the proposal from Hancock Engineering in the amount of $30,180 to complete all work necessary to bid the two village water main relocations as part of the IDOT Mill Creek culvert project,” Bitton said. The council approved the motion on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as yes.

During the police report portion of the agenda, council members and police staff discussed the road closure’s timing and impacts. A department speaker said the closure is expected to be approximately six months but that the start date is contingent on completion milestones on a related corridor project (referred to in the meeting as the status of “A Hundred And 30 First”), which the speaker said must advance before IDOT will close the other roadway. “The IDOT plan is to not have a hundred and 30 first and a hundred and 20 third closed at the same time,” the speaker said.

Police staff emphasized that the precise location and start date for the closure had not been finalized at the time of the meeting and that residents would be notified via the village newsletter and the police department’s Facebook page when more information is available. The council was also told the village plans to do the utility relocations while the roadway is closed to save on pavement restoration costs.

The council record shows the Hancock Engineering agreement will proceed with village funding from the water fund; no bid award or construction contract was approved at the Jan. 27 meeting.

Council members also discussed routine public-works items and community events during the report.