Minutes - 01/10/2001 - Safety Pathway CommitteeMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF
THE OAK BROOK SAFETY PATHWAY COMMITTEE OF JANUARY 10, 2001
Unofficial until approved as written XX or as amended on
May 9 , 2001
1. ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m., Co -Chair Hartmann presiding.
Committee Members Present:
Co -Chair Hartmann, Co -Chair Cullum, Dinkel, Doyle, McShane, Miologos, Walters
Committee Members Absent:
Huizenga, Richardson
Others Present:
Stephen B. Veitch, Village Manager; Tom Suhs, Oak Brook Park District
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Co -Chair Cullum, seconded by Member Doyle, to approve the minutes of
the meeting held on November 8, 2000 as presented. Passed unanimously.
3. REVIEW OF PATHWAY PRIORITY LIST
The Committee reviewed the draft Listing of High Priority Capital Improvements that had been
revised and updated based on the discussion at the November 8 meeting. Village Manager Veitch
explained that a new format had been employed in an effort to make the listing more readable. The
new format includes the addition of a short statement intended to address the reasoning for
including each project and for its classification. The classifications are:
Group A - Improvements that complete strategic links within Village or to the regional
system and /or address significant safety concerns.
Group B - Improvements that are considered highly desirable, but of lesser safety or
strategic value.
Group C - Improvements that are considered desirable.
It was again noted that these designations are not intended to suggest the sequence in which
improvements should be pursued. They are more a means of classifying enhancements that have
been identified as desirable and potentially worthwhile additions to the pathway system.
Minutes of Oak Brook Safety Pathway Committee
Meeting of January 10, 2001
Page 2
The Committee suggested the following changes to the listing:
• Shift sidewalks along 22nd Street between Butterfield Road and Spring Road from Group C to
Group B.
• Add sidewalks on Butterfield Road between the western corporate limits and 22nd Street as a
Group B project.
It was noted that an intergovernmental agreement with Oakbrook Terrace could be pursued in order
to accomplish installation under the State 50/50 program on both sides of Butterfield and 22nd
Street.
• Add the connection between 31St Street and 35th Street, through the Mayslake Forest Preserve
(parallel to but along St. Paschal Drive) to Group C.
• Add an extension along the east side of Spring Road north from Harger Road as a Group C
proj ect.
Village Manager Veitch noted that some work at the Spring/Harger intersection to ease crossing
movements is under review for 2001 implementation.
• Add a striped shoulder along Bath & Tennis Drive as a Group C project.
A motion was made by Co -Chair Cullum, seconded by Member Walters, to forward the listing, as
amended, to the Village Board with the Committee's recommendation that it be accepted and placed
on public file for use as a tool for planning and budgeting pathway system improvements. Passed
unanimously.
4. PROJECT UPDATES
Village Manager Veitch provided updates on various pathway projects:
A. 22nd Street. Construction is substantially complete. Some sections of the guard railing atop
the concrete barrier remain to be installed and some adjustments are needed to the wooden retaining
walls.
B. Midwest Road. Construction continues at wintertime pace.
C. Harger/York. Phase I engineering is complete and the Village is awaiting IDOT review
comments on the Project Development Report. Once approved, the project can proceed into Phase
II engineering. The existing grant covers all engineering. The Village has applied for an additional
grant for construction of the reduced scope project (the York Road portion and the connection to the
Forest Preserve path on Harger east of Yorkshire Woods) and should learn the status of that
Minutes of Oak Brook Safety Pathway Committee
Meeting of January 10, 2001
Page 3
application within a month. Prospects are thought to be good. The rest of the Harger portion is
reflected on the priority list as a separate project.
D. 31" Street. On December 15 the Village was notified that the Illinois Transportation
Enhancement Grant has been approved for phase II engineering, construction engineering and
construction of the path and pedestrian bridge. The phase II contract is being developed final sign -
off on the Project Development Report is pending. Given the delay in approval of the grant
extension, construction will likely not begin until 2002.
E. Regional Trail. Submittal of the Phase I Project Development Report to IDOT has been
delayed since June 2000 due to alignment issues in the Village of Brookfield. There is a possibility
that the report might be submitted soon anyway, showing a gap in those particular areas. At this
point, only this phase has been funded. The timeframe for construction is still unclear. The staff is
not aware of any scheduled meetings on this project at this time.
F. 2000 Village Project - 35th Street; Covington to St. Stephens Green. Excavation and
retaining wall installation are substantially complete. Pathway installation and restoration remain.
Construction is shut down for winter.
5. OLD BUSINESS
A. Maintenance Issues. Village Manager reported the following action taken since the November
meeting:
• A stop sign has been installed on the York Road path northbound at Robin Hood Ranch.
• The pathway and shoulder on south and east side of Spring (where adjacent to Forest
Preserve) was cleaned and will be policed periodically.
• A bike safe storm sewer grate was installed at the southeast corner of Kingston and
Hamilton.
The Forest Preserve District has yet to widen the run- around at York Road near the York Tavern
and will also be asked to pave the area west of the Graue Mill where screenings frequently wash
out.
B. System Signage. Village Manager Veitch reported that bids are still being sought for the new
Village street markers. Work is still needed on the pathway system signage plan.
C. Pathway Map Update. Village Manager Veitch reported that the supply of maps is dwindling.
Member Dinkel has previously volunteered his assistance on an update. Tom Suhs agreed to
coordinate the update process, including a possible upgrade in printing standards.
6. NEW BUSINESS
Minutes of Oak Brook Safety Pathway Committee
Meeting of January 10, 2001
Page 4
A. Linkages with Hinsdale. There was a discussion of opportunities to coordinate with the
Village of Hinsdale concerning linkages between the two communities. Based on a conversation
that had occurred between Member McShane and a Hinsdale recreation commissioner, Village
Manager Veitch wrote to Hinsdale's Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and had a follow -up
conversation with him. Village Manager Veitch offered the view that the possible linkages are
limited in number and well known to both communities, such that ongoing and routine
communication on improvement plans should suffice at this time.
B. Snow Removal. There was a brief discussion of the logistics and costs associated with
providing snow removal along selected portions of the pathway system. It was noted that most
communities do not clear snow and ice from sidewalks or pathways outside of downtown areas and
the Park District does not clear snow from the pathways it maintains.
C. Celebration of Accomplishments. There was a discussion past efforts to call attention to the
pathway system with events of one sort or another and prospects for holding an event in the future,
perhaps in conjunction with Oak Brook Day or the Autumn Festival. There was consensus that this
would be desirable at some point in the future, perhaps in celebration of completion of the major
links that are currently on the drawing board.
7. OTHER BUSINESS
Member Walters indicated her intent to step aside when her term on the Committee expires in June
2001.
Tom Subs offered to investigat options and funding for providing a more serviceable link from
Canterberry Lane to the I -294 bridge at the northeast corner of the Dean property.
8. ADJOURNMENT
There being no additional business, a motion was made by Co -Chair Cullum, seconded by Member
Doyle, to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Passed unanimously.
The next Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. in the
Samuel E. Dean Board Room at the Village Hall.
Village Manager