Public Works Director Explains Stagnant Construction on Old Rand Rd.

A federally funded project to put sidewalks on South Old Rand Road connecting the area to downtown is taking much longer than expected. While the sidewalks were completed in the spring, approval of adjacent asphalt work is holding up the project.

Lake Zurich Public Works Director Dave Heyden said he is working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to determine what can be done to get the stalled road job finished.

Heyden explained that sidewalk project was funded through a CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation. CMAQ projects are subject to state oversight. The State of Illinois bid the project and manages it.

Heyden said the state takes the low bid and will give contractors a chance even if they are inexperienced with state projects. 

“It’s a federal job and the state has to approve all materials, The contractor (Copenhaver Construction) has submitted quality assurance to IDOT  three times; all times were rejected,” Heyden said.  

Heyden said federal guidelines are different from the state and different from village procedures. He said the contractor is apparently unfamiliar with the process. He said the contractor’s third quality assurance application for the asphalt mix was rejected two weeks ago.

“We’re trying to figure out what other options the village has. We’re contacting IDOT to see if there are any other options. We want to make sure this is buttoned up and the roadway is finished before winter,” Heyden said.

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