Politics & Government

Mayor 'Disappointed' in Pedestrian Bridge Delays

Plainfield Mayor Mike Collins expressed frustration with the pace of the project at the June 17 village board meeting.

Plainfield Mayor Mike Collins sounded off Monday, venting his frustration with the still-uncompleted Lockport Street pedestrian bridge. 

"I'm very disappointed in D Construction," Collins said of the Coal City-based contractor, which was on the June 17 agenda as the low bidder on the village's 2013 pavement patching program. 

Collins noted that the bridge project was supposed to be completed in 2012. In fact, the project, which is funded by $1 million Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Grant, was originally slated to be done by Dec. 1, 2012. Now, it's slated for completion by July 1.

The project is transforming the bridge into a 10-foot-wide, ADA-compliant walkway linking the east and west sides of downtown Plainfield from James Street to Countryman Drive. It also includes the installation of decorative street lighting from Village Center Drive to Main Street.

The project hit a snag in October 2012, when an unexpected utility issue forced a delay as ComEd relocated overhead lines to allow D Construction to safely proceed with the project.

Read: Utility Issues Delay Pedestrian Bridge

That delay cost the village an estimated $217,000 to relocate overhead power lines to underground, including the relocation of large switchbox gear.

But Collins expressed doubt Monday that the utility snag was the cause of the major delays. "I was down there a week ago," he said. "[There were] no wires, no conduit ... Them telling us one thing and doing another is very disappointing to me."

Plainfield Superintendent of Public Works Randy Jessen said frigid winter weather also caused some project delays. 

"You can't pour concrete in sub-freezing temperatures," he said.

The village also had to work around the time frame allowed by state permits when it came to Lockport Street lane closure, which could only be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jessen said.

The project is now in its final stages, according to Jessen, who said the last remaining pieces are the completion of the electrical work and landscaping.

"The majority of the walk is done," he said, "The electrical contractor is out there now putting in the foundation for the streetlights." 

Jessen said he is confident the bridge will be completed by July 1. A ribbon-cutting/unveiling ceremony is being planned for mid-July — meaning the new bridge should be in use well before the start of Plainfield Fest, scheduled for July 19 to 21 in downtown Plainfield.

Read - Wanted: Volunteers, Bags Players, Vendors for Plainfield Fest

The bridge delays didn't stop the board from voting 4-2 Monday to award D Construction with the $69,014 contract for the pavement patching program. Trustees Paul Fay and Garrett Peck voted no.

Director of Public Works Allen Persons told Collins he would draft a letter to the contractor expressing the village's disappointment with their performance on the pedestrian bridge project.


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