Forest Park officials and construction officials met last week to discuss the pre-construction plan for the Village Improvement Plan (VIP) for the spring and summer of 2006.

The two-phased plan consists of improvements to Forest Park streets and alleys, with the goal to finish the first phase by June 1, 2006. The second phase of the plan will begin this summer and will last through the summer of 2007.

Among those attending the meeting were the Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvement, Patrick Doolin, assistant Director of Public Works Bob Kutak, Construction Manager Mike Stirk of Christopher Burke Engineering, Village administrator Mike Sturino and Director of Public Works Curtis Cashman.

Representatives of Cerniglia Company of Melrose Park, which is handling the water main replacement, Johnson Paving of Arlington Heights, who will work on street resurfacing, and Kings Point General Cement of Bensenville who will be responsible for alley reconstruction, also participated in the meeting.

Funding for the project comes from the 2005 sales tax referendum which will contribute half of the one percent tax to finance the sale of bonds covering the cost of the work. This spring, the project will continue to make infrastructure improvements of seven streets and 24 alleys around Forest Park with the total cost of the project being between $10-11 million, with phase 2 costing $4,195,226.

“Our original goal was to get all the work completed between fall of 2005 and summer of 2007 and we are on track to do that,” Doolin said.

Residents will be notified at least two weeks in advance if their alley will be torn up and no more than three alleys will be torn up at one time throughout the project. The village will also work with relevant companies to resolve any potential conflicts with garbage and waste hauling. While the village is still trying to work out exactly when it will begin construction, notices have already been sent to residents on Circle Avenue.

The remaining work on the project’s first phase will begin in the 800 and 900 block of Circle Ave. with work beginning on Harrison St., moving south toward Roosevelt Rd. Construction will also begin on the 200 block of Marengo in order to replace the block’s water main, followed by street construction.

While parking spaces may be unavailable during this phase, residents will be notified at least a week in advance and blanket parking permits will be issued to residents of affected areas. Also, special accommodations will be made for the elderly and disabled during the construction process, according to Doolin.

“Ultimately, this is the village’s project, while Burke Engineering is the project manager. I think the way we have things structured has minimized the amount of complaints and citizens’ concern. This is a two-year project and we are only 25 percent done, but I think this project will continue to proceed smoothly.”

 

Council approves plan for Phase II of project

Last week the Village Council unanimously approved the agreement for Phase II of the Village Improvement Program. In phase II five streets and 24 alleys will be resurfaced at a cost of more than four million dollars.

Two of the streets, Adams and Taylor, are brick and they will be rebricked, according to Mike Stirk, a principal with the village’s general contractor Christopher Burke Engineering.

Other streets to be resurfaced during phase II include Desplaines Ave. from Randolph to Franklin, Circle from Randolph to Franklin, Yuba from Desplaines to Dunlop, and 15th and 16th streets from Hannah to Harlem.

Requests for bids have gone out. The agreement with Burke includes a guaranteed maximum price to the village for phase II work of $4,195,226.32. The work is expected to begin by May 1st and must be completed by December 1, 2006 according to Stirk.

Bob Skolnik