Streets, Water Mains, Sewers: What will be Fixed in Algonquin This Year?

From streets to sewers to water mains, the village of Algonquin is gearing up for improvement projects—as well as the addition of some new infrastructure—over the next year

The Algonquin Village Board is in the process of reviewing its budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year and met this past week at a committee of a whole to discuss this year's proposed projects. 

Some of the more notable projects the village plans to tackle includes street improvements and a water main replacement in the Indian Grove Subdivision, over two miles of street repairs in the Fieldcrest Farms Subdivision and four separate water main replacement projects and sanitary sewer improvements in the area of the Western Bypass, according to village board documents. 

In addition, the Randall Road pedestrian bridge project — which will be located at Randall and Huntington/Bunker Hill Drive— is slated to get underway in 2014. 

In total, the village of Algonquin plans to spend over $12 million in infrastructure improvements in the next year and fix over three miles of roadway. 

Street Improvement Projects

Some of the bigger-ticket projects in Algonquin in 2013-2014 include improvements to just over two miles of roads in the Fieldcrest Farms subdivision as well as improvements to roads in the Highlands of Algonquin and Indian Grove subdivisions.  

Street improvement projects on the books for the next fiscal year include:

• The largest street project in 2013-2014 will be in the Fieldcrest Farms subdivision where 2.06 miles of roadway will undergo improvements. The $2.6 million project will include improvements to Aberdeen Drive, Briarwood Lane, Arquilla Drive, Barrington Court, Farmhill Court, Farmhill Drive, Fieldcrest Drive, Preston Court, Preston Street and Tailgrass Court. 
• There will be improvements to .7 miles of roadway in the Highlands of Algonquin subdivision along Edgewood Drive. The $1.6 million project will include improvements to Edgewood Drive, Glengarry Court, Interloch Court and St. Andrews Court. 
• Improvements to streets in the Indian Grove subdivision was originally slated for last year but was pushed back to this year after neighbors voiced various concerns, including the number of trees that would be removed in the neighborhood. The village and the residents reached a middle ground during a May village board meeting, eliminating the addition of a sidewalk as a way to save some of the trees. The $1.8 million project will include improvements to South Hubbard Street, Cherokee Road and Oceola Drive for a total of .92 miles of roadway. 
• The village will spend $200,000 on a main street sidewalk connection project. There will be a pedestrian connect added between Beach Drive and La Fox River Drive. 
• The Randall Road pedestrian bridge project will get underway in 2014. The will be located at Randall Road and Huntington Drive/Bunker Hill Drive andis meant to improve safety for those crossing Randall Road, provide a link between the Woods Creek Bikeway and the Stonegate Bikeway and encourage non-motorized transportation to access Jacobs High School, Sherman Hospital and other commercial areas along Randall Road. The village will spend $400,000 on the project the county will cover another $400,000 and the rest — $3.16 million — will be paid for through federal funds. 

Water Main and Sewer Improvements

Many improvements will be made in 2013-2014 to maintain Algonquin's underground infrastructure. Some of the sanitary sewer and water main replacement projects for the upcoming year include:

• The village will replace a 30-year-old cast iron water main on Oceola Drive in conjunction with its street improvement project in the Indian Grove subdivision. The project will cost $480,000
• The village will make improvements to the water mains and sanitary sewers in the the area of the Western Bypass, which will cost $455,000. The project will consist of four individual project, which will include rreplacement of around 1,600 feet of failing water main running through Towne Park, which will cost $128,000. It will also include rreplacement of a water main on Route 31, running from Huntington Drive to Railroad Street and improvements to the water main and sanitary sewer along Route 31 from Filip Road to Huntington. The project will also include improvements in the area of St. John's Lutheran Church. 
• Improvements to the SCADA operating system at Algonquin's wastewater treatment facility will cost the village $415,000. The system will be modernized since the current system is 17 years old.

Sources: Algonquin Village Board Packet, village documents