Arlington Hts. proposes $22 million in projects

Capital improvements in Arlington Heights totaling almost $22 million for the coming fiscal year have been proposed by the village staff.

Expensive projects include $5.1 million for improvements at Northwest Highway and the streets of Davis Street, Arthur Avenue, Prindle Avenue and Waterman Avenue, including widening of the railroad crossing at Arthur. The village is expecting to pay about $2 million for the Northwest Highway project with $3.5 million coming from federal grants, said Michael L. Pagones, deputy director of engineering for the village.

Two parcels of land at Arthur still need to be acquired, he said.

That project is part of the total of $13.3 million for street improvements in the proposal discussed with the Village Board Monday night, said Tom Kuehne, director of finance. That includes resurfacing, reconstruction, crack sealing and sidewalks and curbs.

A $1.3 million project that would be paid for from the water and sewer fund is a sewer from Regent Park to Gibbons Avenue and Kensington Road.

Trustees Norman Breyer and John Scaletta objected to a solar-lighted bicycle shelter at the downtown railroad station.

The village will pay about $43,000 for the shelter, with $112,000 coming from a federal grant designed specifically for energy-saving demonstration projects.

There might not be enough money to fund all the proposals, said Mayor Arlene Mulder, but City Manager Bill Dixon said some projects like the Northwest Highway improvements and the bicycle shelter have proceeded too far to be canceled.

Resurfacing Kensington Road is such a large project that additional revenue or a bond issue would be needed to fund it, said Kuehne.