Saving Hammel Creek

A Frankfort company won the bidding war to save Hammel Creek's collapsing banks.

Emerald Site Services submitted a low bid of $15,600.

There was only one other bid. A company named Earthwerks offered to do the job for $19,875. Neither outfit came in equal to or below the engineer's estimate of $14,500.

Shorewood and Will County teamed up on the Hammel Creek Streambank Stabilization project, which involves repairing "the severe slope erosion that has occurred along Hammel Creek north of Robin Hill Drive and east of Raven Road," according to a communication from Village Engineer Bryan Welch to Roger Barrowman, Shorewood's public works superintendent.

"Earlier this year, Will County successfully completed the design and permitting effort for the project, which included receiving a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers," Welch wrote.

The county and Shorewood agreed to split the total cost of the project, which will be about $30,000.

Emerald Site Services bills itself as an "innovative site services company serving the construction industry and communities," according to its website.

Emerald Site Services' "focus has been to provide clients with the tools that can help reduce rapidly escalating development and community environmental risks and costs," the site says. "Following is background on some of our key employees."