Northfield Township Road District Moving to New Facility
On November 2, the Northfield Township Road District building on Lehigh in Glenview will be closing its doors to move to its new facility intended to better protect the Township's investment in trucks and other equipment. The new garage and office for the Road District will be located at 237 Melvin Drive in Northbrook, effective November 3, 2018.
The Road District had occupied its previous space on Lehigh Road in Glenview since 1978, with its 5400 square feet used for offices, the Township's recycling program, and equipment storage. Originally built in the 1940s with an addition made in the 1970s, the outdated, undersized facility had indoor space for only five of the Road District's 12 vehicles, a situation that took its toll on maintenance and security for the equipment.
"Leaving the trucks outdoors posed real problems for our operations," explains Road District Commissioner Tim Rueckert. "For example, we recently had a family of raccoons chew through the hydraulic lines of the bucket lift on a boom truck. Not only was it an expensive repair, but it could have been a huge safety hazard if the equipment had failed while in use."
The new facility offers five times the square footage, allowing all Road District trucks to be parked indoors and maintained more efficiently. Extra space will be available for new Road District initiatives, such as serving as a Toys for Tots collection facility and a community garden in addition to the continuation of the Road District's free recycling services for residents. The larger parking lot will make recycling drop-offs more efficient. A portion of the facility is expected to be rented to a community non-profit organization; details on that arrangement are pending.
The new location also places the Road District's resources nearer its areas of service. Two-thirds of the roads under the Township's jurisdiction are in unincorporated Northbrook, with the remainder in Glenview and Northfield.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house are tentatively planned for March 2019, with the opening of the spring recycling season. Visit the Northfield Township Road District website for information on recycling programs and other services.