'Aggressive' Paving Schedule In Darien: Official

DARIEN, IL – With the strike at area quarries over, Darien plans an all-out effort to complete its road projects, an official said Monday.

"The paving is going to be a very aggressive schedule," Dan Gombac, the city's municipal services director, told the City Council. "We are also looking at working on Saturdays. So again, there will be some inconveniences, but hopefully, the inconvenience is short-term to get the work done."

The strike by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 ended in late July after nearly two months.

About 300 workers were striking against three major producers of sand, gravel and crushed stone, which are needed to make concrete and asphalt.

The strike halted production of road materials in the Chicago area, with contractors having nearly depleted their supplies. That meant Darien projects stood still.