The four Forest Park commissioners present at the June 13 village council meeting voted unanimously to invest $1.5 million in the village’s infrastructure, authorizing bids to resurface four blocks each of Dunlop and Beloit avenues and awarding a contract for repaving five alleys. Commissioner Rachell Entler was absent.
The cost of the Dunlop/Beloit project, which will affect the 800, 900, 1000 and 1100 blocks of both streets, between Harrison Street and Roosevelt Road, is estimated to be $650,000, which will be paid through Motor Fuel Tax funds.
In response to a question from Commissioner Dan Novak, Village Administrator Tim Gillian explained that the $650,000 figure is an estimate from the village’s engineers but Mayor Anthony Calderone said the engineers “usually do a pretty good job” on the estimates.
Gillian said bids will go out “in a week or two” and answered affirmatively to Novak’s question whether a decision on awarding a contract for the project would be before the village council in July. Gillian added he hopes the project will be completed before school starts in August to avoid congestion around Forest Park Middle School and Field Stevenson School, which are both on Beloit.
“We try really hard to pick the ones that are used extensively and are in bad shape,” he said, adding the decision is based on the budget. Last year, Marengo Avenue was resurfaced from Roosevelt Road to 14th Street.
Alleys to be resurfaced following the council’s action are in the 100 block between Belvidere and Marengo avenues; the 100 block between Elgin and Harlem avenues; the 600 block between Hannah and Circle avenues; the 1000 block between Dunlop and Lathrop avenues; and the 1100 block between Beloit and Thomas avenues. The project also will include sidewalk and sewer work at various locations throughout the village.
Gillian explained that village officials attempt to resurface 4-6 alleys each summer with the number determined by the budget.
“Several years ago, we inspected all alleys in the village and rated them good, medium and fair,” he said. “We try to pick the ones that are the worst and do them in that order.”
The contract for $854,948.50 was awarded to J. Nardulli Concrete of Cicero, the lowest of seven bids received. Jim Amelio of Christopher Burke Engineering, the village engineer, noted that a Cook County Development Block Grant will cover $170,000 of the cost. He added that his firm J. Nardulli has performed similar projects in the village previously and, “They appear qualified to perform this work.”
