Mundelein budget includes Rt. 176 bike path, bridge over CN tracks
A path along Route 176 for pedestrians and bicyclists is among the big-ticket items in Mundelein's proposed $50 million budget for the next fiscal year.
Money for architectural designs for a new public works facility and a pedestrian bridge over the Canadian National Railway tracks near downtown Mundelein is set aside in the spending plan, too.
The proposed budget covers projected expenses and revenue for the fiscal year that begins May 1.
It calls for just under $50 million in spending on various infrastructure projects, equipment and vehicle purchases and employee salaries, to name a few categories. That's up slightly from the current year's $49 million spending estimate.
Officials predict village hall will collect about $45.5 million in property taxes, fees and other revenue in the next fiscal year. That's down slightly from the current budget's $46 million estimate.
The roughly $4.5 million difference between projected spending and revenue will be covered by savings, Village Administrator John Lobaito said.
The path proposed for the north side of Route 176 is one of the more notable public projects in the budget. It will stretch nearly one mile between Midlothian Road and Route 45.
The budget includes $3.7 million for the project. Construction is expected to cost about $2 million, and $1.7 million has been earmarked to bury overhead utility wires along the route.
However, the wires may be buried later if funding isn't immediately available, Lobaito said.
About $1.9 million of the total sum will be covered by a state grant, Lobaito said.
The path is part of Mundelein's ongoing effort to make the community more walkable and bikeable, he said. A similar path was built along a segment of Hawley Street, another major east-west artery through the north side of town, in 2016.
The $3.7 million for the path was included in the 2018 budget, too, but getting the design approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation took longer than anticipated, Lobaito said.
The proposed budget also includes $500,000 for architectural designs for a new public works facility to be built on Allanson Road west of Washington Boulevard. The current public works headquarters at 440 E. Crystal St. is set to be decommissioned and the new one built in 2019.
Officials want to rezone the 6-acre Crystal Street site and encourage residential redevelopment there to better fit the vibe of the downtown area.
Another significant project in the budget is the design work for a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks near Mundelein's Metra station. That's expected to cost $450,000.
Funding for the construction of the new public works facility and the pedestrian bridge will be included in future budgets.
The village board is expected to approve the budget at its April 23 meeting.