Sugar Grove deals to improve dangerous intersection

The village of Sugar Grove will renegotiate a 2004 annexation agreement in order to sweeten a financial pact with Ed Saloga Builders to improve a dangerous intersection. At the same time, the Kane County Department of Transportation will absorb most of the cost of the more than $1 million price tag that has more than doubled from the original projection.

The new agreement calls for improving the T-intersection of Merrill and Bliss roads, which is unincorporated Kane County. The intersection borders the exclusive Hannaford Farm subdivision where lots are still available.

Due to inflation and an agreement between county and village staffs to widen the scope of the project, the cost is more than double the $417,000 projection set in the 2004 annexation. Work will likely be completed in the spring.

Village Administrator Brent Eichelberger got informal village board approval earlier this month. The new agreement is in line with earlier discussions between the board and village staff concerning working with developers in Sugar Grove to help them through hard times.

"This improvement of the intersection is long overdue," Trustee Mari Johnson said. "And it's a really good first step in having staff listen to developers' concerns and restructure financial agreements without overburdening the village."

"Safety concerns are unique here," Trustee Melisa Taylor said. "They trump everything. We were paying for a Yugo under the old agreement. Now we're getting a Cadillac."

The intersection is considered dangerous because a hill obstructs the view of drivers turning onto Merrill Road. Improvements call for grading to make the roads lower and the installation of a left-hand turning lane.

Under the new agreement, Kane County will fund all but $374,946 of the projected cost.

The new agreement will restructure cost sharing. The developer will be given credit for $176,616 already spent on the project and is left owing only $99,165, Eichelberger said.

The village has agreed to allow the developer to pay the remaining $99,165 through deferred impact fees. Fees will be reduced during the current housing slowdown and increased later when the market rebounds.

"This will go a long way in changing the bad reputation that Sugar Grove has in working with developers," Ed Saloga said at the meeting.