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Council approves IDOT funding agreement for Waukegan–Wesley intersection, directs testing of nearby 1949 water main

Lake Forest City Council · November 18, 2025

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Summary

Council authorized a joint funding agreement with IDOT for the Waukegan & Wesley intersection project (est. $3.6M) with a local match estimated at $982,100 and—after extended discussion—directed staff to obtain vibroacoustic testing (~$55,000) to assess a nearby 1949 water main before final decisions on lining or replacement; council approved the funding resolution by roll call (8–0).

The Lake Forest City Council approved a resolution authorizing a joint funding agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the federally funded Waukegan & Wesley intersection project and directed staff to pursue additional testing on a nearby aging water main.

Public Works presenter Byron Coutts said the project’s overall estimated cost is about $3,600,000 and that the city’s local match is currently estimated at $982,100; the city needs approval to submit the funding agreement to meet IDOT’s letting schedule. Coutts described recent local water-main breaks and presented three options: proceed with the intersection and bid in January; conduct vibroacoustic testing (estimated $55,000, to come from the water reserve) to assess pipe integrity and then decide; or move to lining or full replacement (estimates presented: lining ~$400,000–$450,000; full replacement ~$800,000), which could delay the intersection project by 1–2 years.

Several aldermen and staff urged data-driven action. Alderman Powers said he favored immediate replacement based on recent failures, observing that the pipe appeared to be 76 years old and had experienced multiple breaks. Coutts and the city manager said testing could return results in early January and that, if results indicated a problem, staff could notify IDOT and remove the project from the January 16 letting without jeopardizing federal funds. The council gave consensus to pursue testing and then took formal action to approve the IDOT funding agreement; the roll-call vote was 8–0 in favor.

Next steps: staff will solicit and return with a quote for the vibroacoustic testing and will place that item on the council’s December agenda for formal authorization.