Burr Ridge Sidewalk Priorities Shift After Public Feedback

BURR RIDGE, IL – Burr Ridge trustees showed little interest in a sidewalk on Garfield Street when they were discussing priorities in January.

Their thinking has changed.

The village estimates it would cost about $230,000 to build a sidewalk along Garfield north of Waterford Drive to a dead-end sidewalk at Rogers Farm Road. Neighboring Willowbrook is expected to chip in 30 percent.

At a January meeting, trustees seemed to place greater importance on spending federal money on the replacement of pathways on 79th Street and 87th Street-Kraml Drive, costing $325,000.

Since then, Garfield-area residents say they gathered 130 signatures for a petition supporting the project in their neighborhood.

At last week's Village Board meeting, Village Administrator Evan Walter said the village had received significant public comments in favor of Garfield.

"We certainly want to make sure we're conscientious of those," Walter said.

Mayor Gary Grasso suggested the village make the Garfield sidewalk the priority.

As for the 79th Street, he said the village should develop a safe crossing because of speeders and increased traffic on the street.

He asked whether any trustees objected to making Garfield the priority for village money. No one did.

Over the years, the village has pondered whether to put the Garfield sidewalk on the east or west side of the street.

If it goes on the east side, the village must remove some residents' landscaping in the right-of-way.

"Safety is the first priority on Garfield Street," Trustee Guy Franzese said. "Landscaping is the second priority. If we have to rip up someone's newly planted perennials, that was their risk. I'm sorry about that, but the safety of the residents is paramount."

He also said the village needs to find a safe way to cross 79th Street to the pathway along the Chasemoor subdivision.

The Garfield project could be done in 2024, Walter said.