Burr Ridge Eyes Ways To Spend $1.4M

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge officials are looking at ways to spend nearly $1.4 million in federal pandemic relief.

At last week's meeting, the Village Board discussed its options.

The project attracting the most interest was the Elm Street culvert, which is expected to cost up to $1 million. It's possible the village could get an $800,000 grant from another federal program for the culvert.

Village Administrator Evan Walter called such a project a big upgrade for residents who have experienced overtopping on Elm.

"If this were built, it may solve the problem forever, in terms that they may never see overtopping again," Walter said.

Trustee Guy Franzese said he and Trustee Tony Schiappa checked the culvert and found it was in "sad shape."

"It could fail at any moment. We don't know. We don't have a crystal ball," Franzese said.

He said the cost increases for the project are outpacing inflation.

Other options for the federal money are reconstruction of the pathways on 79th Street and 87th Street-Kraml Drive, costing $325,000.

Such paths are wider than sidewalks and can also be used for bicycles.

Franzese said he was for the pathway projects.

"These are main arterial pathways in our village that connect subdivisions and lead toward north-south pathways that connect to the Village Center," he said. "They're in sad shape. It's very difficult to ride your bike on the 79th Street pathway. I don't see joggers using it because of its poor condition. So it's in our best interests to rehabilitate them with concrete."

Trustees showed less interest in the building of a new sidewalk to connect the dead-end sidewalk on the east side of Garfield Street north of Waterford Drive to a dead-end sidewalk at Rogers Farm Road.

The project would cost $220,000. Willowbrook has promised to chip in $60,000 as long as the sidewalk is on the east side of the road, officials said.

Another option for the federal money is the purchase of a new chipper. The current one is 13 years old and can only chip 10-inch trunks, according to the village. A $150,000 piece of equipment could handle 19-inch trucks.

Administrator Walter said the village would see a return on its investment with the new equipment.

Trustees made no decisions on the federal money.