Arlington Heights plans $136 million for capital improvements over 5 years
Arlington Heights officials on Tuesday presented plans for more than $136 million worth of capital improvement projects over the next five years, from flood control and storm sewer projects to street resurfacing and reconstruction.
More than $43 million is proposed to be spent in 2018 alone — most of it going to finishing construction of a new police station.
The village board Tuesday night reviewed and approved the 2018-2022 village capital improvement program — the multiyear financial planning document that identifies and schedules infrastructure improvements.
While most of the projects have been discussed by the board before, there was talk by trustees Tuesday of moving some work along faster and frustration that others haven't started already.
For instance, Trustee Bert Rosenberg wondered why some flood control upgrades budgeted in 2018 won't actually get constructed until 2019. “My understanding of funding something in 2018 means it would be done in 2018,” he said.
Village Manager Randy Recklaus said one of the top priorities is increasing residents' participation in the overhead sewer program, which reimburses a portion of costs to install the sewers in their homes.
The board in March discussed implementing a $6.25-per-month stormwater utility fee and increasing the village incentive to encourage more homeowners to purchase overhead sewers.
More than $17 million is proposed to be spent on flood relief efforts over the next five years — representing about half what village officials have proposed in total.
But Marc Adelman, a resident who attended the meeting Tuesday, told the board they were moving too fast. He says many of the village's proposed flood control upgrades are outside of the combined sewer area and would effect relatively few homes.
Among the other big ticket items in the five-year plan, construction is expected to be complete by fall 2018 on the two-level, 70,500-square-foot police station at 200 E. Sigwalt St. Underground utility and abatement work has begun, and the old 38-year-old police building on site is expected to be torn down in mid-July, Recklaus said.
Trustees are also expected to hear at that time what the guaranteed maximum construction price will be, but so far estimates have put the project at $27.9 million.
The plan also proposes spending $31 million over five years on street resurfacing, $9 million on street rehabilitation, nearly $2 million for new sidewalks and curbs, and $12 million to replace water mains.