Gurnee to front cash to help ebb flooding

Gurnee will chip in $10,000 toward a project designed to stem occasional flooding known to shut Washington Street at the village's southeastern border.

Neighboring Waukegan is heading the project for the Washington Street drainage woes because that city is most affected. An additional storm water detention area is planned on vacant land owned by Waukegan Tire north of Washington and east of Route 41.

Waukegan intends to contribute $70,000 of the $149,000 of the project's cost to local governments in the affected area. Lake County Division of Transportation has committed $25,000, while the Skokie Drainage District and the city of Park City, just east of Gurnee, have yet to announce contributions.

Gurnee village board members Monday night informally agreed $10,000 is a fair amount to provide for a project that will be concentrated on the town's southeast end.

"This will help," Mayor Kristina Kovarik said of the contribution. "We have a lot of people who commute to Waukegan and vice versa."

Officials said heavy rain creates an overflow of water on Washington, which can cause the street's closure from Route 41 east to Green Bay Road.

Gurnee Trustee David Ohanian said the village's $10,000 donation to the project is generous.

"I don't see where we gain much of anything from this other than being a good neighbor," Ohanian said.