Elmhurst Officials Make Big Push For Sidewalks

ELMHURST, IL – Four Elmhurst aldermen are suggesting the city consider spending more money on sidewalks and lowering the thresholds to make them a reality.

They are asking the City Council to assign the issue to one of its committees.

The aldermen are Ward 3's Michael Bram and Chris Jensen, Ward 2's Jacob Hill and Ward 5's Tina Park.

Much of Ward 3 has no sidewalks, while parts of Ward 2 are without them. Nearly every street in Ward 5 has sidewalks.

The aldermen asked the council to consider changing the longtime policy in which the city covers half the costs of sidewalks on blocks where 60 percent of residents support cost-sharing.

They requested the council to look at increasing the city's contribution percentage. And they wanted their colleagues to consider decreasing the threshold of 60 percent of support for sharing costs.

Additionally, the aldermen are pushing the city to only count yes or no votes on cost-sharing, while excluding non-responses from the vote tally.

Under the cost-sharing program, only one block of sidewalk has been installed over the last 15 years.

The aldermen touted Wheaton's program for installing sidewalks, which is much more aggressive than Elmhurst's.

In Wheaton, sidewalks are built based on pre-determined criteria at no cost to residents. New sidewalks are budgeted yearly.

"The benefits of public sidewalks throughout various Elmhurst neighborhoods improve aesthetics, curb appeal and overall safety," the aldermen said in a memo this week.

Earlier this month, the council voted 12-2 to impose a sidewalk fee on builders of houses in neighborhoods without sidewalks. The money would go into a special city account, which would be spent on sidewalks where the city deems them most needed.

Meanwhile, the city is looking for grants to pay for sidewalks on a few streets on Elmhurst's northeast side, which is Ward 3.