DuPage County committee approves $39,346.76 increase for Naperville Road–Route 38 intersection study

The DuPage County Transportation Committee on Feb. 4 approved an amendment increasing a Transystems Corporation contract for preliminary engineering at County Highway 23 (Naperville Road) and Illinois Route 38 (Roosevelt Road) by $39,346.76, bringing the amended contract total to $458,750.78.

The measure, presented under resolution DTP 0242c, was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Speaker 1, a committee member, introduced the amendment and described the dollar change. Speaker 2, transportation staff, told the committee the increase reflects work delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures and additional scope required by changes in state requirements and a new alternatives analysis. "It is a considerable increase ... the project actually started back during COVID, and everything had to be put on hold," Speaker 2 said, adding that updated data collection and changed IDOT forms required rework.

Staff said the amendment should complete the preliminary engineering phase. Speaker 4, an engineering staff member, described next steps: after preliminary engineering the project will move into design, which the county estimates will take about a year; a contract letting would likely occur in calendar year 2027 and construction would start no earlier than 2028, subject to federal and state approvals and IDOT coordination because the state owns Route 38.

The committee discussed the cumulative contract increase, which staff cited as 79.26% overall since the project began. Members asked for clarity on what triggered the added work, and staff pointed to long pandemic delays, salary and materials inflation and required coordination with the park district for land acquisition.

The committee approved the amendment by voice vote. The county will proceed to finish preliminary engineering and return later with design and letting timelines or additional contract actions if needed.