Local, Politics

With State Budget Approved, Indianwood Construction Resumes Wednesday


under construction roadwork, Indianwood Construction
Under construction. (Welcomia)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Indianwood construction came to a halt recently. Now that the state of Illinois has approved a budget, road construction will resume Wednesday. Village Manager Tom Mick made the announcement Monday at the meeting of the Village Board.

Construction was halted because the state did not have an approved budget. A letter from Nicholas Christie, Assistant Director of Public Works, went out to Indianwood Boulevard residents on July 3. In the letter, which was also posted on the Village Web site, Christie provides the reasons for the construction halt.

“Dear Park Forest Resident,

“The Indianwood Boulevard resurfacing project is funded 80% through a Federal grant and administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). As you have have seen in the news, IDOT has shut down all construction projects effect July 1st, due to the lack of a State of Illinois approved budget. As a result, all work on Indianwood has ceased until a State budget is approved. As municipal employees, we share your frustration with this development. We hope that the State budget situation will be resolved shortly and that work can resume.”

Village Manager Mick said some had complained in social media that the project had stopped, but this was not a stop ordered or brought about by the Village.

Even though the resurfacing project is 80% funded by a federal grant, the money does not come to Park Forest directly from the federal government. The Illinois Department of Transportation is charged with administering this grant. As Illinois labored into a third year without a budget, construction projects — and, apparently, funding mechanisms — throughout the state ground to a halt.

No one wanted to work if there was a chance they would not be paid.

Now, with a working budget, projects can begin to move again.

The state was mired in a budget stalemate for over two years as Governor Bruce Rauner and Legislators fought. The Legislature finally overrode the vetoes of Governor Rauner on July 4, 2017 in the Illinois Senate, and July 6, 2017 in the Illinois House.

The votes in both chambers were bipartisan.


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