Yorkville Looking at Huge Drop in Route 47 Construction Costs

The Route 47 project may cost Yorkville about $1.2 million less than originally planned, thanks to lower state cost estimates and city cuts in downtown business district upgrades.

Illinois Department of Transportation officials recently estimated the city’s portion of the $45 million project would be $2.63 million, , City Administrator Bart Olson said in a July 8 memo to City Council members. The state-led project will expand Route 47 from Route 71 to Kennedy Road.

Aldermen decided Tuesday and crosswalk stamping, which saves the city another $271,500. They kept $116,000 for bike trail and sidewalk and $19,000 for color additive to sidewalks, crosswalks and handicapped curb ramps downtown.

Before aldermen made a decision, Mayor Gary Golinski indicated that some downtown business owners, as well as some downtown developers, asked him to maintain the downtown upgrades.

“Their concern is that if it doesn’t happen now, it’s not going to happen,” Golinski said.

But Ward 2 Alderman Marty Munns and Ward 1 Alderman Carlo Colosimo said specialty fencing with fox designs should not heavily effect business or development, while the city costs could fluctuate before the project was complete.

“I don’t think we’ve got our costs nailed down now,” Ward 1 Alderman George Gilson Jr. said. “I think we should remove them.”

Their decision came after state officials indicated they would charge the city about $ to remove the bike trails and sidewalks, a move that also could delay the entire project 6 months or more. Removing the downtown upgrades would not cost time or engineering fees.

City Council members are expected to vote on a final agreement with the state on the project in mid-September, Olson said in his memo.

Breaking Down City Savings
• $950,000 (Reduction in city cost estimates from $3.58 million to $2.63 million)
• $59,000 stamped sidewalk
•  $172,000 decorative fox fencing
• $40,500 decorative fox handrailing
• Total: $1.22 million in city's cost total