Kensington Road $371,412 shared-use path study barely passes Mount Prospect board

Mount Prospect Mayor Paul Hoefert was the tiebreaking vote Tuesday approving a contract with a Chicago engineering firm to study construction of a path along Kensington Road for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The village will hire Epstein and Sons International Inc. for $371,412. The firm, chosen over two other bidders, will conduct a preliminary study of a path stretching from Forest Avenue to the Canadian National railroad crossing and connecting with other paths. The new path is among those studied by the village for its Arterial Bike Network Study.

Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said the study could help the village secure grant funding for the estimated $4 million project.

Trustees who opposed the contract complained about a lack of advance notice on the vote and the choice of Kensington Road.

“I find out on Friday afternoon that I have to vote on $371,000,” said Trustee Beth DiPrima, who joined William Grossi and Vince Dante in opposition. “I didn’t even know (a Request for Proposal) was going out for this.”

Grossi also expressed frustration with the process and questioned whether Euclid Avenue, with a link to an existing forest preserve bike path, should have been given priority.

“It has been a problem in the village for the last six-to-eight months to a year that we are being given things on Friday and asked to vote on them on Tuesday and haven’t had the opportunity to even talk about it,” he argued. “And it’s got to stop.”

Trustees Colleen Saccotelli, John Matuszak and Terri Gens voted in favor of the contract.

“I think this is a great project,” Saccotelli said. “It’s going to connect lots of important areas in this part of town.”

She also contends the board is rarely informed of RFPs before they are issued.

With grant money available, Saccotelli said the proposed project would benefit people riding bikes to Randhurst or Prospect High School students traveling back and forth.