Bike path work to resume near Lake County government campus in Libertyville
Collaborative effort between village and Lake County to improve safety, access
A portion of a bike path connecting two parks in Libertyville will be resurfaced in tandem with a Lake County project to extend a new path west along Winchester Road.
The projects are intended to improve safety on the village path and provide access to the expansive Lake County government campus north of Winchester Road.
The village board on Tuesday approved a $46,250 contract with Peter Baker & Son Co., to replace about 1,200 feet of its network extending north from Winchester Road just east of the Metra railroad tracks to the crossing at Bull Creek.
Competitive bidding was waived in this case because of cost savings, according to the village.
A portion of the village path connecting Gilbert Stiles, Paul Neal and Willis Overholser parks is in bad shape and needs work but can be accessed only from Winchester Road. Peter Baker, under contract with the Lake County Division of Transportation, will be resuming work this spring on a new bike path from Milwaukee Avenue west to connect with the village path.
Another contractor would have to stage equipment within Baker’s construction site, likely damaging new pavement and requiring additional repairs, according to the village.
By installing both the new LCDOT path and resurfacing the village path, Baker will be able to create a smooth transition and lower the change of future maintenance issues.
Pricing requested from Peter Baker was significantly less than a competitively bid low price last year for similar work, according to village documents.
The county’s bike path work included moving the existing crossing east of the Metra tracks east to align with a county campus access road. A second crossing also was realigned. Both included flashing beacons and pedestrian refuge islands.
The village path south of Winchester continues through Butler Lake Park.
“It’s a true collaboration,” said village Trustee Pete Garrity, who chairs the village board’s parks and recreation committee. “That’s really going to help improve that crossing for our residents going north and south.”
It made sense to do the work simultaneously, Garrity added, and the savings can be used for other bike path projects.
This is the second year of LCDOT’s $5.34 million project to resurface and make other improvements along a 3.18-mile stretch of Winchester Road from Route 83 to Milwaukee Avenue.
A portion of the bike path was installed last year and the section from the village path to East County Farm Road will be done this year, wrapping up the project.