Frankfort Village Board Approves Funding for Major Road Resurface Project

In a busy session on October 16, Frankfort Village Board Trustees approved funding for a major road project scheduled to begin next year. At its October 11 meeting, the Committee of the Whole reviewed IDOT’s Resolution for Improvement under the Illinois Highway Code and Joint Funding Agreement for the resurfacing of St. Francis Road from U.S. 45 (LaGrange Road) to 88th Avenue. The project has been awarded a Surface Transportation Program (STP) grant. The STP funding will cover 80 percent of the construction costs, which is scheduled for the 2024 construction season. The village’s local share of the construction cost is $206,130, for which Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds shall be appropriated.

Also approved was funding for sewer projects in Frankfort. Also, at its October 11 meeting, the Committee of the Whole discussed the utility department’s request to conduct a flow monitoring/capacity study of the area downstream of the Jackson Creek lift station. This project will include flow monitoring, field determination of approximately 70 manhole rim and invert elevations, the preparation of capacity studies of the downstream sanitary sewer interceptor, the lift station at Colorado Avenue, and the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Robinson Engineering, Ltd., submitted a proposal to perform the analysis for a lump sum fee of$115,000.

On October 11, the Committee of the Whole also reviewed a proposal from Robinson Engineering, Ltd., to perform professional engineering services for the Jackson Creek force main inspection project. This project will include an in-line leak detection inspection of the village’s 16″ and 6″ parallel sewer force mains from the Jackson Creek Lift Station to the gravity sewer near Golden Gate Nursery, using the PICA navigator tool. The navigator tool will identify and locate any combination of leaks and gas pockets for the two sewer force mains so potential problem areas can be addressed proactively and with minimal disruption. The board also approved increasing water resources for the village.

Also on October 11, the Committee of the Whole discussed the bidding results received for the construction of a well and water treatment plant at the terminus of Elsner Road. Construction of a well and water treatment plant at this location will reduce the burden on existing wells, increase pumping capacity to accommodate future growth, and provide balance within the distribution system. Vissering Construction Company, of Streator, submitted the low bid of $5,690,000 for the project. The village was awarded a $500,000 grant for the project through Will County’s ARPA program.

Finally, the board passed a measure giving incentives for industrial development in Frankfort. Graefen Development is nearing completion of a new 15,000-square-foot industrial building at 22445 S. Fey Drive, within the East Point Industrial Park. The applicant requests grant funding under the village’s Target Industry and Industrial Incentive Program (T3IP), which provides for one dollar ($1) per square foot of the new building area. This new facility will be utilized by TAT Logistics, Inc.