Palatine spending less on downtown roadwork

Palatine may not see its new and improved main downtown thoroughfare completed within the one-year window originally projected, but it will bear less of a financial burden for the work.

Because of factors ranging from favorable bidding to a surplus of federal funds, the village will contribute as much as $1.3 million less to the Palatine Road expansion project than first expected, officials said this week.

“We look at this as a huge positive step forward, saving the village’s share on this,” Village Manager Reid Ottesen said.

Before work started on the project, which continues this spring due to last summer’s labor strike and utility delays, the village expected to contribute about $2.15 million toward the total cost, now said to be about $9.5 million.

However, the economy led to favorable bidding and extra American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds became available to the region, lowering Palatine cost to as little as $805,000.

Offsetting those savings by about $37,500 are unforeseen expenses, including an asphalt additive, equipment so stoplights turn green for emergency vehicles and light pole foundations.

The project is expanding a three-quarter mile strip of Palatine Road between Smith Street and Northwest Highway, widening the Plum Grove Road intersection and improving two railroad crossings downtown. Officials say work is nearly 75 percent complete.

For more information about the project, visit palatineroad.com.