THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2006
Traffic, Parking On City's Mind
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Reporter
Alley paving, bike paths, and a citywide parking and traffic study are the main topics on the agenda for tonight's (Wednesday) meeting of the Park Ridge city council's public works committee.
* Alley paving policy and philosophy will be discussed, rather than the paving of specific alleys. The city already has finished planning for paving of five alleys this year, and work will begin soon.
Some aldermen have asked to have a discussion about whether the city's current 75/25% voluntary cost-sharing program with residents for alley paving should be continued. At a May meeting of the committee, Ald. Donald Crampton asked if a paved alley benefits all of the residents of the city (in which case he said the city should pay the entire cost of paving) or whether it benefits only those living next to the alley (in that case, the cost-sharing formula should continue).
Staff recommends that cost-sharing continue. Alley paving projects are resident-initiated and are voluntary. About 64% of the city's alleys are paved. "The cost-sharing is working, is popular with residents, and is allowing us to pave the worst alleys and still give priority to sewers, water mains, and paved streets, which are generally considered to be more important than alleys," said public works director Joe Saccomanno.
* Bike paths. Approval of 10 new connecting routes in Park Ridge was delayed Monday (June 5) to respond to questions from two residents, Saccomanno said. Bike paths are established in cooperation with the State of Illinois and private bicycle associations.
* Traffic study. A scope of work for a citywide traffic study, plus a parking study in South Park and Uptown, will be submitted by Ald. Kim Jones, chairman of the committee. She also is chairman of the steering committee of residents, business owners, and city officials that is coordinating the citywide studies.
In a side note, city officials recently accepted the resignation of City Engineer Dave Ellstrand, who has taken a civil engineering job with Bono Engineering in Des Plaines. Sarah Mitchell, has been named acting city engineer, and Saccomanno said he has taken on the engineering director duties until a new city engineer is appointed, which will probably be after the current budget year in mid to late-2007.