Elgin - In the wake of the recently ended laborers strike, Elgin city engineer Joe Evers is cautiously optimistic that most construction projects being done on the city's dime will be completed by October.
"We can't simply add the three weeks to the end of our construction year because of the poor weather conditions normally encountered in November and December," Evers said. "Generally, our contracts seek to end construction by the end of October. After that, the weather is a roll of the dice."
State and local construction projects were halted for several weeks by the Chicago Laborers District Council and Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. The ensuring agreement gives workers 3.25 percent raises each year for three years. Unions said the pay hike is needed to cover their higher share of health insurance premiums.
Evers will be updating the city council about construction projects at this evening's committee of the whole session. He said that the city doesn't want to be paving or pouring concrete in November, when there is the likelihood of rain and cold temperatures.
Evers has been told by some contractors that they will beef up crews and/or schedules to get things done by late October. But projects must be considered individually, and "there is no universal response to how the strike has impacted all projects," Evers said.
A press release from the city states that the Highland Avenue Sewer Separation Project will be completed in sections. The first section involves the east leg of the intersection at Highland and State Street (Route 31), which will be opened by Aug. 15.
"This means that motorists traveling westbound on Highland from the downtown area will be able to access State Street (Route 31) and head north or south," the release states. "Motorists will not be able to travel west on Highland beyond State. The west leg of Highland will reopen by Sept. 4. The second section involves the completion of the sewer separation project, which will also be completed by Sept. 4."
In turn, the delay in the sewer separation project delays the Highland Avenue Street Rehabilitation Project. As its stands, that project might not be finished until Sept. 30 or until next spring.
Neighborhood resurfacing projects began Monday in the Randall Ridge subdivision, on the northwest side and between Highland and Heine avenues.
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