Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee met April 4.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
Chair Donald A. Moran called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM
| Attendee Name | Title | Status |
| Donald A. Moran | Chair | Present |
| Joe VanDuyne | Vice Chair | Present |
| Mimi Cowan | Member | Present |
| Mark Ferry | Member | Present |
| Donald Gould | Member | Present |
| Tyler Marcum | Member | Present |
| Jim Moustis | Member | Present |
| Meta Mueller | Member | Present |
| Ray Tuminello | Member | Present |
Present from State's Attorney's Office: C. Wise.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Mr. Tuminello led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. WC Public Works & Transportation Committee - Regular Meeting - Mar 7, 2019 9:00 AM
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Tyler Marcum, Member
SECONDER: Mimi Cowan, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
IV. OLD BUSINESS
1. Disc Re: Quicktake - 80th Ave. and Laraway Rd.
(Discussion)
Mr. Ronaldson reviewed the Quick Take memo in the packet.
Mr. Moustis stated we use outside council for imminent domain cases because we thought it would help move the cases along more quickly.
Mr. Ronaldson stated the court system can be very slow no matter what you do. We are not voting on whether to use quick take; that would happen after a public hearing, closer to doing the legislation in the fall of 2019 at the earliest. We have 40 parcels on the 80th Avenue project. We applied for $18 million of STP regional dollars for this project. We also submitted an application for Laraway Road between Cedar and Gouger for $18 million. These are federal dollars and recently they changed the rules, now they give a timeline to authorize the spending and go to letting. Otherwise, you have to reapply, the money doesn’t rollover as some of our other federal dollar projects have. It is concerning how they are doing this. If you are stuck in court there is a chance you won’t have the money at the end. We have been in court for three years for some of the Laraway parcels. The CMAC money is now on the deferred list, so we will have to go back to the feds and ask them to put it back in the program. We believe they will if they have the money. On Bell Road and 143rd; we are still negotiating for 19 parcels, this has been ongoing for three years. There is $10 million in federal money at stake there, the money lapsed and we will have to go back and get the money. We will get the money, it just may not be in the timeline we want it. When you seek federal money you have to play by their rules. For 80th Avenue we are scheduling a 2020 letting in our TIP for the bridge and a 2023 letting for the roadway with our current funding. If we get the $18 million, we will be able to accelerate it and do it all in 2021. We won’t know until September. We would not go to public hearing on a quick take bill until fall.
Mr. Moran asked on the Laraway Road, has our plan been to widen it to five lanes and make it a truck route?
Mr. Ronaldson replied the TIP calls for all of Laraway Road to be widen multi lanes. The County Board would decide whether it becomes a truck route. It does not have to be designated as a truck route. The CMAP 2050 plan shows Laraway as being widened.
Mr. Moran stated there are 15 bills in Springfield on the Illiana expressway; does that change our plans with Laraway Road? The original plan was there would be more housing built up along the corridor, more people and more traffic. Was it originally thought of as a truck route?
Mr. Ronaldson replied the 2040 plan has two options; with and without the Illiana. In both cases, Laraway is widened to four lanes. Whether Illiana goes in, the Laraway corridor needs to be widened, not necessarily as a truck route, but for the capacity for the commuters and regular vehicles. The road carries 80,000 lbs. so legal loads could use it. There are a lot of stops on the corridor and more signals will be going in, it would not be a good option for trucks.
Mr. Moran asked could we put weight limits on the corridor?
Mr. Ronaldson answered you can put a weight limit on any road.
Mr. Moran stated maybe we should go to the state and get permission to write real overweight fines as a way to protect our roadways. Currently, we can only write sign ordinance violation. It might behoove us to get something on our State Legislative Agenda to write tickets for overweight trucks.
Mr. Ronaldson added you would find a number of entities with the same opinion.
Mr. Tuminello stated it is an absolute must. Once we put Laraway Road in, it will become a new truck route to bypass I-80. We will be maintaining it at our cost. The truck drivers will bypass the scales on I-80. They will come up Route 53, drive Laraway Road to Route 45 and completely bypass the scales. It would be beneficial to us and the communities along the entire route. My fear is the truck will avoid I- 80, use our roads and it becomes our responsibility to maintain and fix our roads.
Mr. Moustis stated truck traffic jumped off I-80 in the 1980 and 1990 because there was much stricter enforcement at the weight station. Years ago, Route 30 was more of a truck route than it is today. After the improvements on Route 30 truck traffic did not come back unless there is a problem on I-80. We anticipated the improvements on Route 30 and it has been successful, for a limited access road it moves very well. What is the real necessity for Laraway Road to be four lanes? Is there still the anticipation of residential development which creates most local traffic? Are you still thinking there will be a development pattern in the corridor?
Mr. Ronaldson replied yes.
Mr. Moustis continued Laraway Road needs left turning lanes and deceleration lanes to take out things that slow the traffic. I think the road functions well. Perhaps some shoulder would help.
Mr. Ronaldson stated in a three year span we have had 180 accidents, between Cedar and Route 52 and that is a significant number. Most are rear end related.
Mr. Moustis stated if we had turning and deceleration lanes I believe that number would be reduced.
Mr. Ronaldson stated there are rear end collisions at the signals with turn lanes.
Mr. Moustis stated the 80th Avenue Bridge is an extremely sensitive area and way overdue; it should have done 20 years ago. The west side of 80th Avenue is Mokena jurisdiction and the east side is Tinley Park jurisdiction. There is a lot of open land in the area. Do you think quick take will be necessary in that area? I generally am not in support of quick take unless it involves us losing money or us not being able to agree on pricing with someone. Even with quick take, everyone gets their day in court. I may be more receptive to it in these instances. It depends on whether you have the funding, how close you are, how many landowners are involved and how much effort has been made to negotiate. I can’t imagine Panduit wouldn’t be cooperative because they would benefit.
Mr. Ronaldson stated right now there are approximately 40 parcels, each having an individual owner. They range from open land to commercial to warehouse to gas stations. We have not been successful negotiating with some of the gas stations, they go on for a very long time. Even open land can take a long time. On Bell Road we are waiting on a large piece of open land and have been working on it for many years. They have a vision of what it should be worth and we have an appraisal of what it is worth. We have a mixed use and we never know which one will become a problem. That is why we recommend getting the ROW in a timely fashion to keep the funds this would be a good project, in our opinion to do quick take when we are ready.
Mr. Moustis asked will the bridge come first?
Mr. Ronaldson responded yes, because we don’t have the money to do it all at once.
Mr. Moustis asked how much ROW is involved with just the bridge?
Mr. Ronaldson answered originally there was some, but our engineer is looking at a way to do it without any ROW.
Mr. Moran suggested reconsidering the timing for the entire project. Legislation in the fall veto session will require three-fifths majority to pass. It might be better to do it in January of 2020.
Mr. Ronaldson stated with 80th Avenue it would be a reasonable timeframe.
Mr. Moustis stated quick take is done by legislation. It is extremely important to bring our legislators into the process early so they have a full understanding of why we might be pursing this and take it to their constituents, just like we can, to show them this massive improvement.
Discussion took place regarding a public meeting with the Village of Tinley Park, Village of Mokena and legislators.
Mr. Tuminello stated I believe 80th Avenue will be an easier sell than Laraway. The traffic counts on 80th Avenue were done eight years ago showing 16,000 vehicles, today they are probably pushing 20,000. Two years ago the traffic counts on Laraway and were only 10,000.
Mr. Moran asked is it possible to have legislation passed to ticket overweight trucks? Could we set a weight limit on Laraway Road then the widening is primarily for residential use. I think we would have a much easier time selling the project. I am willing to work with Mr. Ronaldson to get something at the Legislative Committee to add an item to the Legislative agenda and get on the docket in Springfield. I am sure you could find a local legislator to sponsor the legislation to limit truck weights on local roads.
Mr. Ronaldson continued on Laraway Road we are negotiating. The fall session doesn’t sound viable and we don’t have the time to do imminent domain on the project. You can’t do both, imminent domain and quick take. It will probably be ready for imminent domain in the fall or winter. On 80th Avenue we have time to do everything. I will put in for the 80th Avenue and Laraway Road, but 80th Avenue has a better chance of securing dollars.
Mr. Moustis stated without the support of our legislators it goes nowhere. We have to know our legislators will be supportive and will sponsor the legislation.
Mr. Moustis asked Mr. Foreman to give a brief recap on how we are doing, how many cases are pending and why this is taking so long.
Mr. Foreman responded we are having a difficult time getting the owners to give us appraisals quickly. In quick take it would be much quicker. The appraisals come in and we can negotiate. Without that, we are in the courts and they set the schedules. On Bell Road and 143rd there is a matter dealing with a large shopping center; there have been land transfers since we filed between some of the parties. During those transferred the new owners purchased some of the land we want and we may get money back. We have had an agreement with ComEd on the Bell Road cases; they go with our numbers. However, they keep putting off signing our agreements. The cases have been continued. The typical length for an imminent domain case, once we file, is two years. With the current civil system we are unable to go in for quick take as IDOT can do. The system for the county, puts us into the system with everyone else. There are so many cases filed and we are in the motion call with all the larger cases.
Mr. Moran added Mr. Ronaldson had a chart showing cases can vary from a very short period of time to nine years.
Mr. Moustis asked is there a mediation process?
Mr. Foreman replied we can always agree to mediate, but the problem is there is a constitutional right to a jury trial. If we cannot come to an agreement, the option is a jury trial. Some of these are getting old enough I am setting jury trial dates.
Mr. Tuminello asked what parameters do you have within our guidelines to bring closure.
Mr. Ronaldson answered my authority is 10% or $10,000.
Mr. Foreman added I run every settlement offer or demand through Mr. Wesel.
Mr. Tuminello asked does the 10% of $10,000 hinder the closure? Would a higher authority help it settle quicker?
Mr. Foreman stated everything is looked at by the courts and governed by statute. Mr. Tuminello asked what are the cost for a jury trial versus giving an extra $5,000 upfront?
Mr. Wesel stated on the smaller amounts the $10,000 is a good threshold we work with. For many owners we use that as our flexibility and are able to come to an agreement. Some people believe their property will eventually be zoned commercial versus the current farmland and feel they should be given 10 times the current value based on potential future uses.
Mr. Tuminello clarified giving a higher authority would not settle the case.
Mr. Wesel stated it is the bigger parcels we have issues with.
Ms. Cowan asked is it the greater of 10% or $10,000 or the lesser?
Mr. Ronaldson replied it is the greater. If I need to go higher, I bring it back to the Committee and they have authority.
V. OTHER OLD BUSINESS
VI. NEW BUSINESS
VII. RESOLUTIONS TO BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNTY BOARD
1. Confirming Award of Contract to Iroquois Paving Corporation ($730,659.57), let on March 20, 2019, Pauling-Goodenow Road (CH 23) from IL-50 East to the Monee Township/Crete Township Line and from IL-1 West 170 Feet, County Board District #1
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson asked to amend the Resolution to include "RTA tax".
Motion to Amend Resolution to Include use of RTA Funds.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Ray Tuminello, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
Motion to Move Foward as Amended
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Ray Tuminello, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
2. Improvement by County under the IL Highway Code for Pauling-Goodenow Road (CH 23) from IL-50 East to the Monee Township/Crete Township Line and from IL-1 West 170 ft., County Board District #1, using MFT Funds ($750,000.00)
(Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Ray Tuminello, Member
SECONDER: Mimi Cowan, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
3. Confirming Award of Contract to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. ($92,298.30), let on March 20, 2019, Manhattan Road District Overlay, County Board District #2 (Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Meta Mueller, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
4. Confirming Award of Contract to "D" Construction Inc. ($266,844.00), let on March 20, 2019, Channahon Road District Canal Road Drainage Improvements, County Board District #6
(Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Mimi Cowan, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
5. Confirming Award of Contract to Tri-State Asphalt, LLC ($57,000.00) let on March 20, 2019, Florence Road District, County Board District #6
(Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Donald Gould, Member
SECONDER: Joe VanDuyne, Vice Chair
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
6. Authorizing Approval of Supplemental Professional Services Agreement for Design Engineering Services (Phase II) with TranSystems for Roadway and Appurtenant Work on Arsenal Road (CH 17) from Baseline Road to Magnolia Lane, County Board District #6 - Attachment Updated
(Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Joe VanDuyne, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Mimi Cowan, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
7. Authorizing Approval of Professional Services Agreement for Design Engineering Services (Phase I) with Civiltech Engineering Inc., for Manhattan-Monee Road (CH 6) at Ridgeland Avenue, Section 19-00040-12-CH, County Board District #1 (Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Ray Tuminello, Member
SECONDER: Mimi Cowan, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
8. Authorizing Approval of Professional Services Agreement for Design Engineering Services (Phase I) with Civiltech Engineering Inc., for Manhattan-Monee Road (CH 6) at Ridgeland Avenue, Section 19-00040-12-CH, County Board District #1 (Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Donald Gould, Member
SECONDER: Ray Tuminello, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
9. Granting a Variance for the WeatherTech Development on Weber Road (CH 88), County Board Districts #3 & #4
(Jeff Ronaldson)
RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Ray Tuminello, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
VIII. DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION
Mr. Ronaldson stated next month we will bring you the TIP for the next five or six years, with a public hearing the following month. CMAP received a grant to do pavement management programs in some of the municipalities and that will begin in May and be completed by September and have the program management plan in place. We are hoping to have a decision on the STEP dollars in June or July, the official award is not until September. The railroad is closing Lorenzo Road on April 10th for one day; a detour will be posted. IDOT is planning a substantial repair project on the Brandon Road bridge, with an April letting, June start and completion by the end of the year. The bridge will be closed that entire time. I have two items on the Executive Committee agenda. We have an emergency storm sewer situation on Peotone Road needing repairs and it will be over $30,000. There will be a Resolution to declare the emergency. There will be a Resolution for the joint agreement on Arsenal Road. After approval last month, IDOT came back and said the EDP money may not be there. I have been trying to save that project for an April letting to begin the project this year. We have come up with a plan. Unfortunately, IDOT now has a 34 page agreement versus the one page agreement approved last month.
IX. STATE'S ATTORNEY DISCUSSION
X. MONTHLY WORK REPORTS & BUILD WILL REPORTS
1. Construction Work Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
2. Maintenance Work Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
3. Phase II Summary Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
XI. REPORTS BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mr. Moustis asked how are the roads looking after the winter?
Mr. Ronaldson relied a majority held up well. Two roads with a lot of potholes are Gouger and Francis. There are others with some, but they are not bad.
Mr. Moustis asked when will we be out to fix them?
Mr. Ronaldson explained I directed the maintenance staff to keep a list of the cold patches and go back and put in the hot patches.
Mr. Moustis asked are there any issues at our rail crossings? How does it work? Does the railroad respond quickly?
Mr. Ronaldson answered in past it has been difficult to get ahold of them to have them do anything. Recently we have had more success. Gouger Road was very rough, we contacted CN and within a short time they came out and did some milling to take care of the bump.
Mr. Moustis asked how safe are the rail crossing?
Mr. Ronaldson replied they respond with interim improvements. Long term improvements we don’t get often.
Mr. Moran asked is there a place to file an official complaint with NTSB or ICC?
Mr. Ronaldson replied yes. If there are crossing you feel are getting in bad shape, let me know and I will reach out.
Mr. Moran added there were issues in Elwood with trains parking across the crossing for a substantial period of time. Mr. Ronaldson handled it and because of the flooding in the Midwest there was no place to put trains so they were sitting across the grade crossing for a longer period of time. They now understand our concerns.
Mr. Ronaldson added they are responsive to a point.
Mr. Moustis asked who is responsible for the crossings?
Mr. Ronaldson responded the owner of the line is responsible.
Mr. Moran stated it bothers me they are milling the tracks; because it will now displace even more.
Mr. Ronaldson stated the pavements are eight to 12 inches thick. A small amount of milling will have no effect. If they take out three inches they will come back and raise the rails.
Mr. Tuminello asked for an update on the Francis Road potholes.
Mr. Ronaldson replied it is on the list for maintenance in 2019; an overlay is a few years out.
Mr. Moran stated an issue brought to me was the south entrance off of Francis into Silver Cross Hospital. The S curve belongs to the township. Is there a process we could facilitate a conversation between the township and the Village of New Lenox about changing the road? Could we acquire some property to go further west? If it was a quarter mile west perhaps there could be a straighter route into this hospital.
Mr. Ronaldson stated the Village of New Lenox has expressed interest in the property and had concepts to move it further west. New Lenox owns a lot of the road, the township only has the curved area. It would be a joint effort.
Mr. Tuminello stated it would be good to have a meeting with all three entities since the road has become an ambulance route.
Mr. Moustis stated we transfer jurisdiction when we think it is the most appropriate thing to do. There are cases and maybe this is one of them, when we should take jurisdiction. The only way we can make it safe is to take over the jurisdiction. It is hard for us to give another jurisdiction money. Maybe we should do an analysis of the road by Silver Cross Hospital, it would be the most appropriate thing for the public, for us to do the improvement, because township roads were not meant to handle that amount of traffic.
Mr. Gould asked do you still meet with the township road commissioners monthly?
Mr. Ronaldson replied yes.
Mr. Gould asked do you have a lot of lettings coming for their projects?
Mr. Ronaldson replied there will be a few in May and June and it usually tapers off.
Mr. Gould asked are there any improvements planned for Old Chicago Road between Wilmington-Peotone Road to Route 102? Something needs to be done there.
Mr. Ronaldson indicated it is a state route and IDOT tried to get us to take over that section when we did the Arsenal Road switch.
Mr. Gould stated if we could make a swap and get the repairs done, it would be a good thing.
Mr. Ronaldson agreed, but it would be a big financial burden on the County. Manhattan- Monee is a logical county highway, but it is a state route and it is not in good shape either.
Mr. Moustis asked if the state did the improvements would you consider taking it?
Mr. Ronaldson responded they asked me if I want to take it and told them I would consider after they did the improvements.
Mr. Gould stated there are times, when it is needed, maybe we should take jurisdiction.
Mr. Ronaldson stated we did that on Center Road because it made sense to take it down to Wilmington-Peotone.
Mr. Van Duyne added they are shutting down Route 102 to do improvements on the bridge. This will increase the traffic on Old Chicago Road.
XII. PUBLIC COMMENT
XIII. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT / ANNOUNCEMENTS
XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION
XV. ADJOURNMENT
1. Motion to Adjourn at 9:52 AM
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member
SECONDER: Ray Tuminello, Member
AYES: Moran, VanDuyne, Cowan, Ferry, Gould, Marcum, Moustis, Mueller, Tuminello
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