'Obstacle' Cleared: La Grange Scores Big Win For Flood Relief

LA GRANGE, IL – A state appeals court on Tuesday ruled in La Grange's favor in a decade-long legal fight with a quarry in neighboring McCook, the village announced.

This means the village can proceed with a stormwater project that officials say will help reduce flooding in south La Grange.

The village had already planned to begin the first phase of the $37 million 50th Street stormwater project later this year.

Three years ago, a trial judge sided with the village, but the quarry owner, Heidelberg Materials, appealed.

In the early 1990s, the company's predecessor broke a longstanding arrangement by cutting La Grange's pipe to the quarry, the village said in the litigation.

"For many years, the Village has vigorously pursued this infrastructure project to bring flooding relief to our residents," Village President Mark Kuchler said in a news release. "We are glad to have cleared this obstacle and have our sights set on moving quickly to bid and construct this project."

After flooding in June 2021, southside residents denounced the village for waiting on litigation to solve the flooding problem.

Officials countered that the village would be unable to pay for the 50th Street project if it took smaller measures in the meantime.

Recently, La Grange received tentative approval from the state Department of Transportation for a detour concept and is moving forward with final permit approval, the village said.

In the coming weeks, the village said it will work with a regional stormwater agency known as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District for project loans.

The work is expected to help neighborhoods south of 47th Street.