Submitted By
Agenda Item Title
Title
An Update on the Lake Street Improvements Project and Motion to Confirm or Amend the Schedule
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Overview
Overview
Mayor Abu-Taleb requested this item be on the agenda and that staff review the project timetable and the associated costs with keeping the schedule versus amending the schedule to a later date The three separate Lake Street projects for Street Resurfacing, Water & Sewer Improvements, and Streetscaping have been underway since early this year. Work on the water and sewer project is complete and work on the street resurfacing project is complete, except for landscaping. The streetscape project is substantially complete in DTOP and the area was opened on Friday, September 4th. Pursuant to the Village Board’s direction in July, work is starting in the Hemingway District on September 8th and is planned for completion by Thanksgiving this year.
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Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
Recommendation
There is no anticipated future action should the Streetscaping project stay on its current schedule. Should the project be delayed the Village will be required to pay additional costs for any labor increases, remobilizing the contractors, storing materials, and increased material costs due to time along with additional costs for overseeing the project by the Village’s consultant team.
Body
Report
There are three major projects on Lake Street which have been under construction since early this year: (1) streetscaping from Harlem to Euclid, (2) water and sewer main improvements from Grove to Euclid, and (3) street resurfacing from Euclid to Austin. A brief status of each of these three projects is presented below.
The Lake Street Resurfacing project from Euclid to Austin was completed in August with only the landscaping work remaining for restoring areas impacted by construction and for landscaping in the business district from Humphrey to Austin. Landscaping work will occur in mid to late September depending on the weather. The Village received a $300,000 grant from Cook County for this project.
The Sewer and Water Main Improvement project from Grove to Euclid was completed earlier this year except for some remaining punch list work for a hydrant removal and storm drain improvements at the northwest corner of the Euclid intersection which will be completed when the streetscape project is doing work in the same area. Work included replacing original water and sewer mains and lining sections of sewer from Euclid to Ridgeland.
The streetscape project from Harlem to Euclid has been ongoing since April. Work is substantially complete in DTOP and the roads and majority of sidewalks in DTOP were opened on Friday, September 4th. There is remaining work to be completed in DTOP for punch list items, landscaping, bluestone on the north side of the street east of Marion, and other items. The road will remain open to traffic during this work and parking will be closed in individual areas where work is occurring. These items are expected to take 1-2 weeks to complete.
Work in the middle section of the streetscape project from Forest to Oak Park Ave is nearing completion. The contractor has some remaining work for installing underground fiber optic cables, lighting conduits, and sidewalks on the north side west of Kenilworth. The road is scheduled to have the asphalt ground off the middle of September with the first course of asphalt being installed in late September. The final layer of asphalt may wait until the roadway in the Hemingway District is ready for asphalt, depending on the schedule for that work. The road will remain open to traffic in this section during the construction.
Per the Village Board’s direction on July 6th, work in the Hemingway District from Oak Park Avenue to Euclid Avenue was delayed and will be starting on Tuesday, September 8th. Work will start with installing traffic control to close Lake Street from Euclid to east of the Oak Park Avenue intersection followed by removals of the trees, roadway, and installing temporary lighting and signals. The work in the Hemingway District is scheduled to be completed by Thanksgiving. There is no opportunity to further compress the work schedule to allow for additional delays and complete the project this year. Delaying the work until 2021 would need to be agreed upon by IDOT and the contractor and would require the Village to pay all additional costs which would easily amount to $100,00 to $300,000 as well as paying the consultant team additional money managing the project next year. Completing the work next year will also take longer due to the typical spring weather and loss of working days due to cold and rain. Work would likely take place from mid-April to the end of July or early August.
With the upcoming work in the Hemingway District approaching, the Village’s consultants went door to door to meet with the various businesses in the Hemingway District to remind them of the upcoming work and discuss any concerns. The work will require eliminating outdoor dining on the sidewalks on Lake Street except for at locations where no work is occurring such as at Fairgrounds. Staff is working with the various businesses in this portion of the project to explore opportunities for outdoor dining in areas besides along the sidewalk such as in the parking lot on the north side of the buildings and in the alleys behind the restaurants.
Alternatives
This is an update to the current projects’ schedules.