Millions Needed For Western Springs Infrastructure: Village

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs wants to highlight its needs for roads, sidewalks, utilities and village-owned buildings.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, officials unveiled an 11-minute video detailing issues with the village's infrastructure. A shorter 3½-minute video is also available.

The unveiling comes about two months after local voters rejected a 1 percent sales tax for infrastructure projects. The video's footage was from October, according to the village.

In the video, Village President Alice Gallagher said the village in 2021 identified $50 million in unfunded capital projects, including $30 million associated with stormwater.

"The village of Western Springs is limited in its ability to generate a long-term dedicated funding source to assist in financing projects," Gallagher said. "The village continues to seek consistent funding options, many of which require approval through a referendum vote."

She said the village has commissioned Crystal Lake-based Baxter & Woodman, a civil engineering firm, to create a capital infrastructure plan. The firm is expected to present a report later this year.

According to the video, the village has 120 miles of roadway and sidewalk infrastructure and 52 miles of water mains. Some of those mains have been in use since 1922.

The village also has 75 miles of sewer, both sanitary and storm.

South of 47th Street, neighborhoods generally have separate sanitary and storm sewers, according to the video. They are mostly combined north of 47th.

At the end of the video, Gallagher urges residents to take a short survey on the village's infrastructure needs.

Village officials praised the video.

"It helps explain a lot of things," Trustee Heidi Rudolph said. "Ninety-five percent of residents don't understand the water mains."