Planning Commission hears about drainage, Armstrong projects

Short Elliot Hendrickson (SEH) Engineer Justin Black attended the Glencoe Planning Commission Thursday to present overviews on the Armstrong Avenue and northeast drainage projects.
Armstrong Avenue
The Armstrong Avenue project is a street and utility improvement project that will  take place on Armstrong Avenue from 13th Street to Seventh Street, Seventh Street from Armstrong Avenue to Chandler Avenue, Baxter Avenue from Seventh Street to Fifth Street and one block of 12th Street.
Black explained the City Council will approve plans and authorize advertising for bids at the next council meeting on Jan. 19.
The cost of the project will be $5.575 million and will be paid by state aid, a grant, general tax levy, assessments and sewer and water revenue funds.
One detail Black went over was Seneca Food Corporation’s access to its facilties. The project will create a temporary road from Thirteenth Street for Seneca’s access. During work on Seventh Street and Armstrong Avenue, Seneca also will have a temporary driveway.
Black explained during the project there will be a detour route for Highway 22 as the crews work on the intersection of Thirteenth Street and Armstrong Avenue. This detour will follow County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 3 to Ford Avenue. The detour will last for up to three weeks.
The Armstrong project will be carried out in phases, Black explained to the commission. The first phase will be utility work at the intersection of Armstrong Avenue and Eighth Street. Then phase two will have the heart of the work on Seventh Street. Until the first two phases are done, the construction won’t start on the remaining five phases.
Construction is currently set to begin in May.
Northeast drainage
The northeast drainage project is focused near the Glencoe-Silver Lake High School on the central ponds and drainage basin to which they connect. Black explained the water in the basin is not draining away and is doing the reverse of what it should.
The project would follow the recommendation of two drainage studies, one from 1978 and one from 1993, that suggest extending a ditch or pipe system from the school area east to the east ditch. A 5,000-foot-long pipe would extend from the athletic complex to the ditch.
With the upcoming school district expansion, Black said a better outlet is needed in that area.
The project can be a stand-alone work or it can be part of the proposed Morningside Avenue project. If built ahead, it will be designed to fit with the potential Morningside work.

For more from the meeting, see the Jan. 20 print edition of The Chronicle.