DeKalb Times

Dekalb County Highway Committee met Feb. 6.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

A meeting of the Highway Committee of the DeKalb County Board was held on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at 6:00pm in the Conference Room of the DeKalb County Highway Department, located at 1826 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb, Illinois 60115.

Chairman Plote called the meeting to order at 6:00pm and called for the roll. Committee members present were Mr. Luebke, Mr. Osland, Mr. Pietrowski, Mr. West and Vice Chair Willis. Ms. Emmer was absent. The County Engineer, Mr. Nathan Schwartz, Mr. Wayne Davey, Support Services Manager and several guests were also present.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

Motion made by Vice Chair Willis and seconded by Mr. Osland to approve the agenda as presented. The motion passed unanimously.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Mr. Luebke moved and Mr. West seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the January 2, 2020 regular meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Eight citizens stood and spoke reiterating their comments and concerns presented at the Highway Committee meeting held on November 7, 2019 and January 2, 2020, about the driving conditions of Plank Road, specifically between Moose Range Road and just east of Lukens Road. Their concerns are the speed of the vehicles, drivers not obeying the rules of the road by passing at intersections, and vehicles passing when vehicle(s) in front of them are making a turning movement that requires them to cross a lane of traffic. They pointed out that over the last three years the Highway Committee has forwarded several ordinances to the County Board recommending altered speed zones on various roads within DeKalb County that were approved by the County Board. Signatures continue to be collected on a circulating petition and support continues to grow for an extended no passing zones and a reduced speed limit on Plank Road. Chairman Plote thanked everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to come tonight and sharing their concerns with the Committee.

RESOLUTION #R2020-04: LOCAL AGENCY AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL PARTICIPATION FOR SECTION 18-00262-00-RS, PEACE ROAD RESURFACING FROM ILLINOIS ROUTE 64 SOUTH TO BETHANY ROAD

Mr. Schwartz stated the Peace Road resurfacing project from Illinois Route 64 south to Bethany Road will be completed during 2020. This is a DSATS funded project and the City of Sycamore has joined this project with the inclusion of the resurfacing of Mercantile Drive. Federal funds have been allocated and in order for the County to take advantage of this 80/20 funding, the County must enter into a Local Agency Agreement with the State of Illinois. This document satisfies that requirement and breaks down the funding of this estimated $1,360,000.00 project to be $1,088,000.00 Federal funds and $272,000.00 local funds. Local funds will be between the County of DeKalb and the City of Sycamore, with the County funds being spent on Peace Road and the City of Sycamore funds being spent on Mercantile Drive. Mr. Schwartz recommended forwarding this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Mr. Pietrowski moved and Mr. Osland seconded a motion to forward the resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Motion passed unanimously.

RESOLUTION #R2020-05: LOCAL AGENCY AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL PARTICIPATION FOR SECTION 14-09110-01-BR, MOTEL ROAD BRIDGE IN MAYFIELD ROAD DISTRICT

This bridge will be replaced during 2020 and will be utilizing Major Bridge funding for this estimated $1,100,000.00 project. Federal funds of $880,000.00 and state funds of $176,000.00 are allocated for this project. In order to expend those funds a Local Agency Agreement for Federal Participation must be entered into with the State of Illinois. The local share for this project is estimated at $44,000.00 to be shared equally between the County and Mayfield Road District. Mr. Schwartz recommended forwarding this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Mr. Lubke moved and Mr. West seconded a motion to forward the resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Motion passed unanimously.

RESOLUTION #R2020-06: AWARD RESOLUTION FOR FURNISHING AND INSTALLING A SNOW PLOW, FRAME, HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, DUMP BODY, WING, SPREADER AND PRE-WET TANK SYSTEM ON A NEW KENWORTH CAB AND CHASSIS AND ONE NEW UTILITY TRACTOR

The County Engineer explained that bids were received for the furnishing of snow removal equipment for the new cab and chassis the County Board approved during its January Board meeting. One bid was received for these items and Monroe Truck Equipment Inc. of Monroe, Wisconsin was the sole bid for this equipment in the amount of $115,501.00. Monroe has outfitted all of our snow plow trucks and the County has been pleased with their finished product. Three bids were received for the replacement of one utility tractor, a 2006 Kubota M8540, and DeKane Equipment Corporation from Big Rock, Illinois submitted the low bid meeting specifications in the amount of $47,500.00 for a new Kubota M5-111HD12-1 utility tractor. The County will receive a trade-in amount of $9,000.00 for our tractor being replaced bringing the net cost to the County to $38,500.00. Mr. Schwartz recommended forwarding this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Mr. Lubke moved and Mr. Pietrowski seconded a motion to forward the resolution to the full County Board recommending approval. Motion passed unanimously.

ORDINANCE #O2020-07: ALTERED SPEED ZONE FOR PLANK ROAD

At the direction of the Highway Committee during their January 2020 meeting, Plank Road was reviewed for compliance with 625 ILCS 5/1-172 to see if any portion could be designated as a residence district for purposes of an altered speed zone. After analyzing four sections of Plank Road, one section met the requirements of being at least a quarter of a mile long with residences or residences and buildings in use for businesses spaced no more than 500 feet apart. That zone was determined to be 1,700 feet southwest of Moose Range Road to 500 feet North and East of Moose Range Road. Mr. Schwartz determined a speed of 45mph was appropriate for this zone and recommended the Committee forward the proposed Ordinance to the full County Board recommending approval. Mr. Lubke moved and Mr. Pietrowski seconded a motion to forward the ordinance to the full County Board recommending approval. Motion passed unanimously.

PLANK ROAD SAFETY REVIEW

Mr. Schwartz reviewed with the Committee the sight distance requirement for passing zones and the requirements that would allow for the County Board to alter an existing statutory speed zone. Also reviewed were the public comments voiced at prior meetings and those sent to the County, either by phone or email. Mr. Schwartz summarized those concerns into three major areas. First, vehicles traveling east and making a left turn either into a drive-way or a side road have a fear of being rear ended by trailing traffic following too close and going too fast to stop for the turning vehicle; the second situation was those east bound vehicles, again making a left turn, and a vehicle two or three cars behind, pulling out and passing at the intersection, causing the potential of a crash with the turning vehicle; and the third situation being those vehicles turning right when existing a drive-way or from a side road heading west bound and experience an east bound vehicle pulling out to pass setting up the likelihood of a head- on collision. A recommended solution that would keep the traffic flowing smoothly and safely as well as provide a safe way to protect turning movements, would be the construction of a center lane, approximately 1,300 feet west of Gerry Lane and continuing that lane to approximately 1,700 feet east of Gerry Lane. This would allow traffic to enter the center lane to slow down safely prior to making their left turn as well as allow right hand turns out onto Plank Road without fear of meeting an oncoming vehicle that is attempting to pass east bound traffic. This center lane section would most likely be the easterly end of the realignment of Plank Road scheduled for future years. The selection process is currently underway to select engineering firms to begin both the process of layout and right-of-way acquisition for a center lane as well as for the realignment of Plank Road itself. The County Engineer will continue his conversations with IDOT and the State’s Attorney to see if there might be other options available that would produce the desired results while working within the requirements of state statutes, the MUTCD, and IDOT requirements, standards, and guidance. The Committee inquired what the downside was if the County were to just establish a speed zone and no passing zone that were not in compliance with current regulations or statutes. Mr. Schwartz stated that if law enforcement issued tickets for violating an illegal speed zone and that citation was contested in a court of law and that citation was dismissed, the likelihood of continued enforcement of the zone would be diminished. The Sheriff’s Office would likely enforce other areas that they are confident that if contested, it would be upheld in court. The County could be opening itself up for litigation if for some reason a serious injury or a fatality were to occur in a no-passing zone that was not established according to established procedures. Questions were asked about stop signs and/or traffic signals at certain intersections along Plank Road. Mr. Schwartz stated certain warrants would need to be met in order for such devices to be installed and currently the situation does not meet any of those warrants. As an update from the January meeting, the radar speed limit signs are delivered and the residence district signs and the suggested 45mph signs are made and ready to be installed. The Department is currently waiting for oversized telespar posts to arrive. The radar speed limit signs are quite heavy and require a sturdier support system than our normal traffic control signs. The Department will also do a speed study prior to the installation of these signs to determine their effectiveness after installation. Fair weather is required for the study without any chance of snow due to the requirement of tubes being placed on the roadway.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS:

Chairman Plote commented on the APWA award the County’s won for the Peace Road/Route 64 safety project. The Plaque was shared with the Committee.

COUNTY ENGINEER’S COMMENTS:

The transportation improvement progress report was reviewed with the Committee. - McGirr Road Bridge project will be built with Federal Bridge funds, the QBS

process is beginning and the Department has received 14 Statements of Interest from engineering firms wanting to be considered for this project

- McNeal Road Bridge letting was held and the bid price for the bridge came in at $1,976,413; Sjostrom & Sons Inc. from Rockford, Illinois was the low bidder

- Motel Road Bridge is through the preliminary and design engineering phases; ROW acquisition stands at 30% complete

- Plank Road Realignment from Lindgren Road to Lukens Road is currently in the QBS stage; 17 Statements of Interest have been received from engineering firms wanting to be considered for this project

- Plank Road widening from Gerry Lane to Lukens Road is currently in the QBS stage; 14 Statements of Interest have been received from engineering firms wanting to be considered for this project

- Somonauk Road Culverts project is at 90% complete for the preliminary engineering and 80% design engineering.

- South First Street Culvert replacement preliminary engineering is at 100% complete and the design engineering is 100% complete. ROW plat is being finalized to allow the acquisition of the ROW

-Waterman Road, phase 3B, redoing the ditches south of Somonauk Creek is currently in the QBS stage; 6 Statements of Interest have been received from engineering firms wanting to be considered for this project

Chicago Road and Suydam Road are scheduled for general maintenance resurfacing in 2021.

Corson Drive has been accepted by the Sycamore Road District and is finally a public road under the jurisdiction and maintenance responsibility of the Sycamore Highway Commissioner. Everyone said AMEN!!

For a legislative update, Springfield is back in session and the County Engineers are watching about seven pages so far of proposed bills. Township consolidation is back in play as well as allowing ATVs on roadways with a speed limit of 55mph. The Federal Government has everyone on board for a sweeping Federal Transportation Bill for infrastructure – problem remains on how to fund it.

DSATS is working on a TIP amendment to include Electric Park Drive in the list of projects. This is an old State Route abandoned by the State years ago and is in need of repair.

The Department’s Annual Report will be presented during the Committee’s March meeting and then presented to the Committee of the Whole in March as well. Also, during March bids will be received for our general county letting, pipes, maintenance items, and hopefully five engineering agreements for upcoming projects and materials for the new salt shed approved in the 2020 budget.

In response to the Committee’s January’s question of any further movement of extending train service farther west from Elburn. Mr. Schwartz indicated a study is being put together but it looks like there is not much hope of any extension further west at this time or in the foreseeable future.

Mr. Schwartz presented the Committee with an overview of State Roads and County Roads and how these two systems come together to form a north-south and east-west grid to move traffic through DeKalb County. The County has a few roads that do not seem to be a good fit with these grid systems. Also, the County has taken over roads at the request of Road Districts in the past that just are not a good fit with our system. For example, South First Street was a Township Road given up by Afton Township several years ago. Afton Township has requested that road be returned to the Township and this Department thinks that makes good sense. This is similar to the jurisdictional transfer of portions of Rich and Coltonville Roads back to DeKalb Township approved by the County Board during 2019. If Townships request the County to transfer roads back to the Township, the County will review those requests and see if it would be a good fit for both entities. Also, 80,000-pound roads were discussed briefly. Mr. Schwartz has been working with Lee County and Kendall/Kane Counties to begin planning for Perry Road to become an 80,000-pound truck route. Once all of Perry Road has that designation then the County can begin to form small blocks of roads connecting to Perry Road and also make them 80,000-pound roads. More on this topic as progress is made.

ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Plote asked if there were any additional items that needed to be presented tonight and hearing none asked for a motion to adjourn. A motion was made by Mr. Luebke, seconded by Mr. West and passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:40pm.

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