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Village engineer reports minor delays to salt building, details IDOT median schedule
Summary
Village Engineer Chris Dapkins told the board that long-lead items and unexpected soft soils have pushed the village salt building completion back several weeks; he also outlined current progress and timelines for the 2025 pavement maintenance program and the Illinois 251 median project, with IDOT work expected to begin after Sept. 5.
Village Engineer Chris Dapkins briefed the Machesney Park Board on multiple public-works projects and identified schedule risks tied to long-lead items and site conditions.
On the village's salt-storage building, Dapkins said "most of the submittals have been turned in and approved and materials have been ordered," but noted long-lead items — "form liners, electrical panels" and roof trusses — will push the completion date back a few weeks. "We still should be in the building, you know, in time to to use it for this winter," he said. Dapkins reported crews started on-site but encountered soft soils and discovered two feet of topsoil in some locations, which required additional excavation.
Dapkins said two projects are currently out for bid: the 2025 pavement maintenance program and the Park 90 access road. Those contracts will come to committee and the board for award at the first meeting in September.
On the Illinois 251 median project, Dapkins reported curb and gutter is largely complete, about 90% of electrical work is in, and planter rings were arriving the week of the meeting. He said light fixtures are a long-lead item and are expected in October. Paver blocks started the week of the meeting and, "assuming everything tracks as we expect, we should be done right around the September 5," he said. Dapkins described extensive inlet replacements that required additional work and noted coordination with IDOT: "This is a 70 working day contract that IDOT issued," he said, adding that IDOT planned to take the site the week after the village's work is done and begin heavier removals around Sept. 11.
Dapkins characterized the approach as aggressive but intentional: "It's gonna be the construction equivalent of ripping off the band aid versus peeling it slow," he said, noting that keeping traffic-control in place and allowing some work during peak hours are measures meant to accelerate completion.
The updates identified schedule risk from weather and long-lead materials but did not include requests for immediate board action. Several items will return to committee or board agenda for contract awards in September.
