Gonzalez Confirms $2.5 Million Construction Grant for Chicago Heights to Fight Flooding

(Chicago Heights, IL) – City of Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez officially confirmed at a city council meeting in September that the south suburban municipality is in line for a $2.5 million grant from Cook County to upgrade its storm sewer infrastructure to mitigate flooding in the city.

At the September 18 meeting, Gonzalez told aldermen that County officials have authorized the money for the first phase of engineering and construction of the sewer system for the city’s west side neighborhoods, bordered by U.S. 30, Western Avenue, Scott Avenue, and Old Plank Trail Road.

The neighborhoods host single family and multi-family residences, businesses, churches, schools, a nursing home, and Park District facilities.

“We are grateful for the official funding greenlight from Cook County to fund the initial phase of the project,” Gonzalez said. “The existing storm sewer infrastructure suffers from capacity, maintenance, and limited reach, leading to basement flooding as well as street and yard flooding.”

Gonzalez says that the first phase of construction will address sanitary sewer lining as well as manhole and catch basin repairs and upgrades.

“Flooding has been a problem in some of our neighborhoods, but Chicago Heights’ infrastructure modernization strategy that my administration has developed aims to provide a long-term solution in cooperation with Cook County,” said Gonzalez. “The mitigation of flooding will have an immediate and positive impact by reducing the cost of damages to residences, health concerns related to moisture in buildings, and loss of income for businesses.”

“I am confident that this project will produce measurable results and will serve as a model for future flood relief projects in other areas of the City,” said Gonzalez. “Additionally, Chicago Heights also intends to contribute its own money and pursue additional grant opportunities to support our infrastructure modernization.”

The funding was awarded to Chicago Heights based on a proposal submitted by the city after completion of the west side neighborhood drainage improvement study, which was part of a comprehensive plan to address flooding throughout the municipality of 30,276 residents.

Gonzalez expects the construction to be completed by September 2019.

davidormsby@davidormsby.com