Politics & Government
Aldermen Focus on Cutting Three Downtown Upgrades
Yorkville officials lean toward trimming railing, other aesthetic upgrades rather than bike trails from Route 47 project.
Yorkville city leaders want to see how much time and money it will cost to remove three specific downtown upgrades from the Route 47 widening project.
City council members told city staff to consult with Illinois Department of Transportation officials about removing decorative fencing, hand-railing and stamping within crosswalks. to remove $116,000 for bike trails and sidewalks but said that move would delay the entire project six to nine months and cost the city $30,000 in engineering adjustments.
Ward 1 Alderman Carlo Colosimo encouraged other aldermen to keep the widening project moving along while compensating for the expenses associated with the bike trail and sidewalk. He also acknowledged seeking permission to sell bonds to cover the city’s portion of the trail and sidewalk.
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“The referendum was not: 'Do you want bike trails,'” Colosimo said. “The referendum was: Do you want to issue $1 million in bonds to build bike trails? Those, in my mind, are two completely different issues.”
But removing decorative fencing, railing and crosswalk stamping would trim $271,500 from the city’s $3.58 million cost toward widening Route 47 from near Route 126 to Kennedy Road. The state would cover the project’s $45 million cost and bill the city for its portion over four fiscal years.
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Meanwhile, Ward 1 Alderman George Gilson Jr. questioned whether state officials could indeed pass $30,000 in engineering costs onto the city if Yorkville officials decided against paying for the bike trail and sidewalk. The state was slated to cover 80 percent of the cost for those two items, or about $579,000.
“I certainly do not want IDOT to hold up this project,” Gilson said. “But, on the other hand, I think this is ludicrous. I think this is something IDOT is making up as they go along to force our hand.”
Yorkville City Administrator Bart Olson indicated IDOT officials did not rely on a state statute or a policy but had indicated that they didn’t think it fair for taxpayers statewide to cover the engineering adjustment costs.
Ward 2 Alderman Larry Kot figured the ball was in IDOT officials’ court.
“I go back 15-20 years, we’ve been fighting to get this done,” Kot said. “Like it or not, the state controls the hand on this one.”
