Haggling continues over DuPage water pipe relocation cost

Naperville officials waited more than 15 months to continue the debate over who should pay the $502,000 cost to relocate a 30-inch DuPage Water Commission main.

The move was part of the $26 million renovation to the intersection of 75th and Washington Streets completed late last year.

Thursday night, Naperville brought its case to newly convened DuPage Water Commission and upped the ante from their 2009 offer to pay 56 percent of the $502,000 cost.

But City Manager Doug Krieger addressed the commission and requested full payment because the project was a joint project with the county and the main was relocated in the county right of way.

The commissioners all had differing beliefs as to who should pay how much.

Woodridge Mayor William Murphy, not interested in rehashing previous debates, made a motion to pay 25 percent or $125,500, but that was countered by Naperville Councilman Dick Furstenau’s suggestion the commission reimburse the city for 50 percent of the cost to relocate the main.

Ultimately it was Murphy who ended the discussion and directed Commission Chairman Jim Zay to meet with officials from both Naperville and DuPage County to negotiate a three-way split of 33 percent.

Any split payments would be made to Naperville, which has already paid the full $502,000 cost.

While 33 percent would be significantly less than Krieger entered the chamber asking for, he said he believes the Naperville City Council would approve of such a cost-sharing plan.

“The spirit of intergovernmental cooperation between the three parties is a great thought and I look forward to those discussions,” Krieger said. “I think, just to get the matter behind us, I could get our city council to approve that, again in the spirit of intergovernmental cooperation.”

The entire $26 million project ultimately added one through lane of traffic, one left-turn lane and a dedicated right-turn lane in each direction. The project also extended the DuPage River Trail from Hobson Road to Bunting Lane and added two underpasses to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to avoid the intersection altogether by traveling beneath it. The underpasses required the relocation of the water commission’s 30-inch transmission pipe that runs along 75th Street.

Under the city’s interpretation of state law, the commission must foot the bill for the costs to move any pipe that must be relocated because of any road project that is funded by DuPage County.

But commissioners previously voted against paying any portion because they believed the pipe had to be relocated not because of the road widening but to accommodate bike underpasses for Naperville trail riders. The city has maintained bicycle riders, along with walkers and joggers from across the county enjoy the trail.