Politics & Government
West Parking Lot Open to Public, Some Work Remains
The biggest item left for the project is switching overhead utilities to underground utilities.
After a summer of construction, the west parking lot behind the rear of businesses on Milwaukee Avenue and the is open to the public.
“We’ve got an open parking lot, which is wonderful,” Public Works Director John Heinz said during Tuesday's Parking Commission meeting. “There are certainly a few bumps and grinds that we are going through. We are trying to complete some of the works so they are gobbling up some of the spots out there with construction trucks.”
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Waiting to Switch Utilities Underground
The biggest item left on the lot improvement project is for AT&T to complete its wiring so workers can conduct the switchover from overhead utilities to underground utilities. Heinz says the company has indicated that it will start the wiring work on Nov. 4 and complete the work Dec. 7.
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“We have been working with them for at least two years now to get this done” Heinz said. “Since we knew we would start construction, we pushed them harder and harder, but we have no leverage on them to hold them up with anything, so we are at their mercy.”
Heinz says every day the wiring work is pushed back, it makes it less likely that the parking lot will be resurfaced this year due to three factors: weather, temperature and manufacturing plants that create the mix needed for surfacing the lot will start closing for winter.
“At this stage I would stay it’s unlikely we will be seeing (the parking lot) surfaced, however, I haven’t given up hope, yet,” Heinz said.
Some Sidewalk Work Will Be Completed in 2012
Apart from the wiring work, crews are working on two Dumpster enclosures and wrapping up most of the new pedestrian sidewalks in the lot.
“We don’t think we will get all the (pedestrian sidewalk) work done,” Heinz said. “The pedestrian areas that would potentially remain through the winter would have a temporary asphalt surface put on so that they can be plowed and walked over.”
If the sidewalks are not completed this year, the village plans to complete the work in spring of 2012.
For more about the west parking lot project read:
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