Mount Prospect to pave 5.6 miles of roads

Mount Prospect will spend almost $2.6 million to resurface 5.6 miles of streets this spring and summer.

The village board unanimously approved the contract last week and work should begin later this month, said Jeff Wulbecker, the village's engineer.

Which streets will be worked on hasn't been set yet, Wulbecker said.

"We review all our streets every year and try to do the worst first," he said.

Resurfacing work will last through the summer, with grass and sod restoration in the fall, he said.

The street resurfacing project is funded by three sources - the village's general fund, state grants and the motor fuel tax.

Last year, the village spent close to $3 million on street resurfacing, but this year the village received less funding from the state's motor fuel tax, Wulbecker said.

Last summer, Mount Prospect resurfaced 6.8 miles of roads, according to a village memo. The average Mount Prospect street lasts about 20 years.

Originally, Wulbecker was expecting to repave only 5.1 miles of roads, but was able to increase that figure after bids on the project came in lower than expected. The project's budget was $2.5 million but Arrow Road Construction, of Mount Prospect, bid the project at $2.1 million. So Wulbecker increased the size of the project and will pay Arrow Road the $2.5 million.