By Kathy Farren
The Yorkville City Council narrowly approved an agreement Tuesday to fund the city’s share of the cost of widening Route 34 in Yorkville.
Four aldermen voted against the agreement because the project is not yet in the state of Illinois’ five year road construction plan and they didn’t want to commit a future council to the funding.
The agreement covers the widening of Route 34 from 350 feet west of Orchard Road in Oswego to 350 feet west of Marketplace Drive in Yorkville. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the estimated total cost of the project was $27.5 million in 2011.
The city’s share of the work was estimated at $230,200. That includes $4,600 or 20 percent of the cost of sidewalk; $42,000 or 20 percent of the cost of a 10-foot shared use path; $58,000 or 100 percent of the cost of road lighting at five intersections; $20,000 or 100 percent of the cost of pre-emption devices at five intersections; $20,000 or 100 percent of the cost of city sewer and water lines; $55,600 for traffic signals (6.6 percent of the cost of four signals and 10 percent of one signal); and $30,000 or 15 percent of the cost of engineering.
According to an Oct. 11 letter to the city from the Illinois Department of Transportation, “The project is currently not scheduled for construction in the Department’s FY 2012-2017 Proposed Highway Improvement Program, but will be monitored for inclusion based on project readiness and funding availability. Based on the current schedule and pending land acquisition, this project would be available for (bid) letting no sooner than FY 2014.”
Alderman George Gilson said he didn’t see why the city should commit to their share of cost when the state has no funding in its five year plan. “My opinion is we should say no,” he said.
Alderman Larry Kot asked if failure to approve the agreement would “send a message to the state that we don’t want” the widening. City Administrator Bart Olson answered that it would.
“I agree the system is broke, but if we’re not gonna play, we’re not gonna get things done. I’m concerned about putting the cost to a future council, but if we do nothing, nothing will get done. It’s foolish to pass this up. I think if the economy stays bad, the state won’t do it,” Kot said.
Alderman Carlo Colosimo said his biggest concern was putting the obligation onto a future council. “We don’t even know about our 2013 budget yet,” he added.
Mayor Gary Golinski said if the council voted no, “The only thing we can be assured of is that Route 34 will be two-lane in Yorkville but four-lane in Plano and Oswego. The only thing it will do is hurt people here.”
Gilson countered that adding to the tax burden would “ultimately hurt our residents.”
Alderman Chris Funkhouser said the agreement was “hard to swallow,” but said “We know we want the improvement.”
Olson said that, if the project isn’t done for several years, a future council could take items out of the project, like the path. “It’s probably cheaper to take out something than to add it in,” he said.
But Gilson said it was "ludicrous" of the state to “make us commit to a crystal ball.”
He voted against the agreement as did Rose Spears and Colosimo. Voting in favor of it were Kot, Funkhouser, Milschewski, and Diane Teeling. City Attorney Kathleen Field Orr pointed out that five positive votes were needed to approve the agreement and Golinski provided that by voting yes. Alderman Marty Munns was absent.