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West Chicago unveils $73.6M five‑year CIP and proposes $21.7M bond program for industrial road reconstruction
Summary
Public works director Mehul Patel presented a five‑year capital improvements program projecting $73.6 million in revenues and proposing $21.7 million in bond issuances (2026–2028) to fund industrial road reconstruction and other projects; council discussed priorities and long‑term repayment tied to a recent home‑rule sales tax increase.
West Chicago staff presented a five‑year capital improvements program (CIP) laying out roughly $73.6 million in projected revenues for federal fiscal 2026–2030 and a plan to issue $21.7 million in bonds split across 2026–2028 to finance industrial roadway reconstruction, other street projects and facility work.
Public Works Director Mehul Patel told the council the city maintains about 185 lane miles of roadway and that the systemwide pavement condition index (PCI) is 66.5. He said about 12% of streets have a PCI at or below 40 and that the city plans approximately 19.5 miles of resurfacing and just over three miles of reconstruction in the next five years.
Patel described projected revenue sources (utility taxes, a home‑rule sales tax that recently increased by 0.5 percentage points, state and local motor fuel taxes) and identified grant funding categories. He noted $7.1 million of the five‑year revenues are already secured and that about $8.36 million of planned grant funding is contingent on successful applications.
For the industrial roadways that serve a small number of large water users, Patel proposed $21.7 million in bond issuances to be repaid through the added home‑rule sales tax revenue; the plan would fund nearly three miles of industrial reconstruction across 2026–2028. He and aldermen discussed timing and market risk: an illustrative repayment schedule assumed 4%–4.46% interest rates and showed a 20‑year amortization.
Council members asked questions about program prioritization, maintenance backlogs and options to phase or bundle projects to obtain better bids; aldermen and staff acknowledged the city is "playing catch up" after years of deferred maintenance and said the bond plan aims to accelerate needed work while preserving routine maintenance programs.
The CIP packet includes targeted facility work (city hall HVAC and automation updates, police station roof/boiler work, museum masonry and remediation at city‑owned lots requiring demolition and soil testing) and a capital equipment replacement schedule tied to a SURF fund. Staff said several projects depend on grant awards and that schedule adjustments are likely if bids or grants differ from current forecasts.
The council did not adopt final bond authorizations at the meeting; staff said they will return with final financing and timing when project bids and grant decisions are known.
