Plan for new biking and walking path in Wheeling to be adjusted

A plan to build a bike-and-pedestrian path along a stormwater channel in Wheeling will be adjusted to lower costs.

The proposed path, if eventually built, will be south of Lake-Cook Road and run about three-quarters of a mile. It’ll stretch between the 400 block of Northgate Parkway on the west side and the 700 block of Wolf Court, near the Prairie Park residential complex, on the east side.

Village officials budgeted $820,000 for the project. According to a memo from Public Works Director Daniel Kaup, the estimated cost increased to nearly $1.8 million after engineering consultants with Gewalt Hamilton Associates determined a bridge over the channel is needed.

The village sought construction bids for the project this summer and got only one offer, from Copenhaver Construction, for more than $2.2 million, Kaup said in his memo.

Gewalt Hamilton believes the project can be tweaked to yield more affordable bids, Kaup wrote.

As such, the village board on Monday rejected Copenhaver’s bid and agreed to seek offers again after revisions.

The decision was part of the consent agenda for the meeting, which is reserved for routine items. There was no public discussion.

If the project proceeds, it will be funded with cash set aside for capital improvements and from money generated by a special taxing district.

rlissau@dailyherald.com