Wheaton sidewalk program to cost 55% more than budgeted, but move ‘prudent’
The first stage of a pilot sidewalk inspection program in Wheaton will likely cost roughly 55 percent more than expected but city officials say it will eventually lead to the replacement of some of the city’s biggest problem areas.
After budgeting $150,000 for the newly created program, city officials approved a plan Monday that has been estimated at $232,650.
An inspection report of the city’s southeast quadrant, generally all sidewalks east of Naperville Road and south of Roosevelt Road, reported the findings of an audit conducted by interns with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
The report estimated the total cost of the work on the southeast quadrant includes $90,960 to replace 812 slabs with high-severity defects, as well as $22,680 to replace previously patched slabs.
Assistant City Manager Mike Dzugan said an inspection report submitted to the city council assumed high-severity defects necessitated the patching.
While city staff recommended limiting work to just the high-severity and patchwork, city officials went beyond that.
An additional estimated $118,920 will replace all sidewalks slabs deemed medium-severity.
City staff will now put together bids for the work, which is expected to be complete in the spring.
In subsequent years, different areas of the city will be inspected and the work done each year will depend on those inspections.
In 2009, the city discontinued a 19-year-old inspection program under budget constraints.
That program had been voluntary and included a cost-share expectation with property owners affected by the repairs. However, this program will be paid in full by the city.
Once a database is built and high-risk areas identified, the city must repair those areas or risk liability, City Manager Don Rose said.
He said the importance of the work overshadows the fact that the work will exceed the budgeted amount.
“The prudent thing to do is to have an active sidewalk maintenance program,” he said.