City Agrees to Full Route 71 Upgrades

alderman agreed to pay $110,400 - including a bike path - for the city’s share in $11.858 million in upgrades to Route 71, essentially reversing a decision they made in July.

The project, which likely won’t be built for 5 to 10 years, would widen Route 71 from Route 47 to Route 126, City Administrator Bart Olson wrote in a memo to City Council members. Illinois Department of Transportation officials set a deadline this week for aldermen to decide about funding part of the upgrades so state officials could plan accordingly.

The 8-foot-wide bike path would be along one side of Route 71, connection 10-foot-wide paths along Route 71 on both sides of Yorkville and connecting with the bike path planned along Route 47.

Sidewalk also would run on the north side of Route 71 from Walsh Drive to Walgreen’s, on the west side of Village View Drive from Route 71 to Muirfield Drive, and on the west side of Route 47 from Route 71 to McDonald’s.

The IDOT would cover the cost of land for the project and much of the construction cost, but IDOT leaders asked the city to cover 20 percent of the path and sidewalk construction and all the cost of lighting and certain devices.

The city’s portion for the sidewalk was estimated at $10,000 and for the path was $42,000, although the actual cost would be based on bid prices much closer to construction.

Aldermen voted 2-6 against accepting this agreement with the state in July, but Aldermen Carlo Colosimo and Chris Funkhouser changed their mind Tuesday to vote in favor of the agreement. Alderman Jackie Milschewski voted present, which was counted as a favorable vote. Alderman Marty Munns was absent, while Aldermen George Gilson and Rose Spears voted against it Tuesday.

Aldermen Diane Teeling and Larry Kot voted for the agreement, including the bike paths, both in July and on Tuesday. Tuesday’s vote was 5-2.

In July, some aldermen questioned whether they could commit the city to spending those funds so far in the future. Gilson reiterated that concern Tuesday.

“I think we still don’t know what’s going to happen in 2017,” Gilson said. “Some of us just don’t think this should be a priority at this time.”

Colosimo responded that city leaders would always be pushed to forecast its budget for 5 years or so for major road projects because “that’s how IDOT works.”

“I have my suspicions that we’re going to have big cuts in the parks and recreation budget, so I’m going to vote for the $42,000,” Colosimo said.

For Kot, though, the trails were a matter of public safety since they’d provide a way for residents to walk along much of Route 71.

“We actually had residents coming forward saying they wanted this,” Kot said. “This is more than just recreation.”

The City Council vote comes months after voters twice defeated the city’s portion of the bike trails along this portion of Route 71, as well as parts of Route 47 and Route 34. After the April election, IDOT warned city leaders that removing the bike trails from the Route 47 project could delay or endanger the entire project, so city leaders for the downtown area instead.

To read more detail:

• Olson’s memo to City Council members on the Route 71 project and the associated letter of understanding with IDOT starts on page 265 on the July 12 board packet.

• A summary of the discussion at the July 12 meeting starts on page 6 of the meeting minutes.

• Olson’s memo starts on page 124 in the board packet for Tuesday’s meeting.