Rolling Meadows road work explained
Rebuilding New Wilke Road from Golf Road to Algonquin Road will be done in two chunks because the Illinois Department of Transportation is having difficulty getting clear title to land owned by ComEd, Rolling Meadows Mayor Ken Nelson said Friday.
Nelson, who will be leaving office after the April 10 election, made his final economic development update speech to the Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce.
“That portion of New Wilke Road is a true test of any car’s suspension system,” said Nelson.
The city has gotten permission to split the project in two, and bids for the area from just north of Golf to just south of Algonquin should be let in June.
The ownership problem, which Nelson described after the meeting as just a need to negotiate language for a small piece of property, is also holding up rebuilding a chunk of Golf Road, said Nelson. IDOT might do just resurfacing on that road if the issue can’t be resolved.
In other road news, the city recently used grant money to rebuild the two Route 53 frontage streets from Kirchoff Road south to Algonquin Road. However, the bridges were not rebuilt, and now IDOT will do that, said Nelson.
The state will also rebuild the Algonquin bridge over Salt Creek, he said.
The city administration is excited that the apartment complex called 12 Oaks at Woodfield, which is west of Route 53 between Algonquin Road and the Jane Addams Tollway, has new ownership. The city was involved in lawsuits with the previous owner.
The complex is now managed by the Marquette Cos., a company he praised for its experience, and is called Apartments at Woodfield Crossing, said the mayor.
New census figures show that Rolling Meadows is more diverse than it was in 2000 with the Hispanic population now 26 percent and the Asian population 8 percent of the 24,099 people in the city. The city lost just over 2 percent of its population in the decade.
Nelson said he is proud of the diversity.
“Diversity creates an interest and excitement that I believe is healthy for all of us. It’s what makes Rolling Meadows a great place to call home,” he said.