Will County Gazette

The Joliet City Council recently heard several recommendations from staff on paving efforts in the city. 

At their Feb. 6 council meeting, the council held three public hearings for three different proposed roadway projects at Broadway Street (W. Jefferson Street - W. Marion Street), Cora Street (Frank Avenue - Russell Street), and Stone Street (North Center Street - North Hickory Street). 

All three projects involved the creation of a special service area in the city. The three streets would have sewer infrastructure repaired and replaced, curbs put in, concrete aprons to driveways and streets, gutters installed and everything leveled off appropriately for drainage. The city would also put in three inches of topsoil and sod in the parkway of the streets as part of the project.

"So, the road remains open during construction for garbage collection, emergency services, also resident access," Public Works Director Greg Ruddy said. "There will be times when access to the driveways will not be available, so during working hours we ask that property owners park on neighboring streets, but then they can park in front of their property at the end of the work day. Generally, it’s going to be a couple weeks where they don’t have access to their driveway. If somebody has a need, if there’s a disabled person, we do temporary ramps so that they can get in and out of their driveway. When the driveway aprons are poured, you obviously can’t drive on poured concrete for several days. So we can work with anyone if they have a special need to get to their property, but the road remains open during construction."

At the public hearing for the Broadway Street project, a property owner who has an apartment building on that block came to speak to the city council. He asked the council why he would be billed $1,500 for the project when he has a curb, concrete apron and grass on his building along the street. Although the city explained that they were redoing the whole street as one so that it was uniform, he felt it was unfair to be charged to replace the only two-year-old curb and sewer infrastructure outside his property. Another resident asked about the timeline of construction and if they would have regular access to their driveways. 

A councilwoman questioned if they would be able to evaluate a discount or something for the property owner with the new curb, although Ruddy asked that they not delay the vote as that might prevent them from getting bids and construction started on time. No one spoke in the public hearing for Cora Street or the hearing for Stone Street, and the council passed all three project proposals and promised to work with the property owner who spoke in the meeting.