Brookfield and Riverside learned last week that they will receive federal stimulus funds to compete road improvements in 2010. On Friday, the West Central Municipal Conference divvied up some $4.5 million in stimulus funds among its 15 members for roads repairs that qualified for federal assistance.
Brookfield will receive just under $1 million to resurface Prairie Avenue from the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad tracks to 47th Street. The stimulus funds will pay for the entire cost of construction; the village will be responsible for engineering costs, which will amount to about $125,000.
That’s a great deal for the village, which sought grant funds for Prairie Avenue in the past and would have had to come up with at least 40 percent of the cost had not funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act become available.
Brookfield had also requested funds for resurfacing Maple Avenue from the tracks to 47th Street, but the WCMC decided instead to fund one project from each of its member communities that submitted requests, according to Tammy Wierciak, planning coordinator for the WCMC.
“It was the easiest way to spread the money over the region,” Wierciak said.
Village Manager Riccardo Ginex said that in order to obtain the money for the Prairie Avenue project, the village must submit a resolution by June 1 agreeing to the cost-sharing arrangement. Projects will go to prospective bidders in January 2010, with construction slated for summer 2010.
Meanwhile in Riverside, federal stimulus funds will be funneled through the WCMC to the village in order to resurface Ridgewood Road, which runs directly in front of Riverside-Brookfield High School.
According to Greg Koch, Riverside’s public works director, the village will receive $200,000 for construction costs. The village has already completed engineering for the project, which was originally slated for resurfacing in 2006, but was delayed due to the renovation/expansion project at the high school, which is still ongoing.
Ridgewood Road will also be resurfaced during 2010, Koch said, with construction beginning after school lets out for the summer.
Bids low for 2009 road projects
Meanwhile, bids for roadwork in both Brookfield and Riverside for 2009 have come in well below engineers’ estimates.
This summer, Grand Boulevard from Grant Avenue to Veterans Circle will be resurfaced. The project also includes resurfacing and water main work on Lincoln Avenue between Grand Boulevard and Prairie Avenue.
The village’s engineer estimated that the work would cost $2.38 million. However, the low bidder out of 12 companies for the project, MQ Construction, won the contract at $1.7 million.
Work is expected to begin in May and will force this year’s July 4 parade to be rerouted south of Eight Corners. Some 70 percent of the work on Grand Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue is being paid for with federal funds. The village is paying the balance.
In Riverside, the low bidder for 2009 road improvements, J.A. Johnson Paving Company, was awarded the contract for resurfacing all of Downing Road and portions of Nuttall and Bartram roads. J.A. Johnson Paving Company’s low bid of $385,970 was well under the engineer’s estimate of $448,336.
Bartram Road will be resurfaced from Longcommon to Michaux and from Delaplaine to Northwood. Nuttall will be resurfaced from Longcommon to a point 700 feet north of Delaplaine.
Work is expected to take from June through August, Koch said.