IDOT withdraws Fifth Street from November letting after railroad agreement delay, city says costs rising
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Summary
Mayor told the Committee of the Whole that IDOT notified the city the Fifth Street project was withdrawn from the November state letting because the railroad agreement was not finalized. He said the city continues to press the railroad and warned project costs have risen to about $6 million from earlier estimates.
The mayor informed the Committee of the Whole on Oct. 28 that the Illinois Department of Transportation withdrew the Fifth Street project from the November state letting because the railroad agreement required for the project had not been finalized.
“Because this section has been withdrawn from 6 state lettings, no additional insertions will be approved until the railroad agreement is secured,” the mayor read from IDOT correspondence. He said city staff have involved state and federal representatives and industry contacts while pressing the railroad for the required documents. “When I wrote back to the gentleman at the railroad today, I did express my frustration,” he said.
The mayor said the project cost has increased since early estimates and that the latest figure is near $6 million; he attributed cost escalation in part to schedule slips while the railroad agreement remains pending. He urged the council to understand the delay is due to the railroad and not the city. City staff said if the railroad provides the document the project may be reinserted in a later letting, but final PS&E documents will need updating to current specifications and resubmitted to IDOT.
