La Grange Leader Makes Promise On Flooding

LA GRANGE, IL – Over the last year, La Grange resident Laura West has repeatedly urged the village to take action on flooding north of 47th Street.

Maybe her pleas worked.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, Village President Mark Kuchler said officials would start a study of flooding north of 47th in the first quarter of this year.

He said the study would map out the low-lying areas and figure out ways to stop flooding there.

Kuchler said it was likely the engineers would recommend the Maple Avenue Relief Sewer project, or MARS, which has long been the solution under consideration.

The village has delayed the project because the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District won't allow the added flow until 2029.

Since last year, West, who lives in the 100 block of Sunset Avenue, has minced few words about the flooding in her neighborhood. She has spoken at a time when the focus has been south of 47th, where flooding has been severe.

At Monday's meeting, West said she was pleased to hear the study would be underway in the first quarter.

"The residents are counting on the village staff and the board, and we appreciate all of your work," she said.

She urged the board to consider short-term solutions to provide immediate relief. That's because the MARS project would take a long time, she said.

"The storms and the water issues are moving in the complete opposite direction," she said. "The intensity, the severity, the impact (of flooding) is only getting stronger and worse."

Late last year, she identified the problem area as between 47th Street, Gilbert Avenue, La Grange Road and the railroad tracks. This consists of about 70 blocks.

Since last May, West has spoken to the Village Board at least six times about flooding problems in her neighborhood.