Riverwoods trustees weigh whether to accept prior low bid or re-let Saunders Road amid litigation uncertainty
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Summary
Village staff told trustees IDOT is offering two options after a paused letting on Saunders Road: accept the prior low bid (subject to the bidder agreeing) or reject and re-let the project (timeline uncertain). Trustees asked staff to get more information about related litigation and IDOT’s current determination before deciding.
Village Director of Community Services Steve Witt told the Board of Trustees that Illinois Department of Transportation central office has asked the village to decide whether to proceed with the low bids from Builders Paving LLC — and see if the company will accept the award — or to reject the bids and re-let the Saunders Road contract, which could delay the project into late 2026.
Witt said the village received an email that gives two options: accept the previous bids and see if Builders Paving will accept the award (they can decline because more than 45 days have passed) or reject the bids and re-let the project with an uncertain timetable, “probably earliest is probably June, July,” which could push completion into late 2026. He told trustees he and GHA are reviewing recent bid levels and that prevailing wages and ongoing broader price pressures may affect current estimates.
The board’s informal consensus was to try to preserve time and pursue the earlier bid if Builders will accept it, while obtaining more information about outstanding litigation that may complicate proceeding. Trustee Eastman said he wanted “a sense for what the other broader moving parts to that picture are — what IDOT determined in terms of the issues that originally prompted this,” and cautioned that Sun-Times reporting indicated there was a court case that may be under appeal.
Trustees and staff flagged several unknowns: whether Builders will accept the prior bid, whether an appeal or continuing litigation would block award acceptance, and how quickly IDOT can provide the additional detail the village needs. Witt recommended staff follow up with IDOT and report back; trustees acknowledged that if a deadline existed the village could call a special meeting, but with no deadline evident they could wait for more facts at the next regular meeting.
Why it matters: Saunders Road is an active public-works priority for Riverwoods. Accepting an older low bid could accelerate construction but risks unresolved legal complications; rejecting and re-letting could delay work and increase cost uncertainty. Next steps: staff will seek clarifying information from IDOT on the litigation status and bid-award process and report back to the board before the village takes formal direction.
