Illinois Department of Transportation delays may cost Western Springs up to $25,000 more for work on the Metra platform construction project.
Village officials said Monday that IDOT has submitted a order, not to exceed $25,000, to pay workers Saturday overtime to finish work on the commuter platforms.
Officials said if the Village Board does not agree, than IDOT will have to shut down the project by Thanksgiving and finish up the remainder of the work in the spring, which could cost the village even more money.
Village Board member Shelia Hansen said IDOT and the construction company working on the project submitted the change for Saturday overtime and two extra hours a day in order to get caught up on the project, which was scheduled to be completed by the end of November.
The board is expected to make the decision at the Oct. 9 Village Board meeting.
Hansen said that delays were caused by Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad, which owns the railroad tracks and right of way property, and by IDOT’s late start due to the state budget crisis. She said the project could be between four the six weeks behind as a result of the delays.
Hansen said the original contract called to the work to be completed within 70 working days, and that because of the delays, those 70 days cannot be completed before Thanksgiving without allowing crews to work Saturdays through November.
“If we do not approve this change order, and the number of days run out before winter, they will have to shut down for the winter and have to winterize the incomplete work, which would cost even more money,” Hansen said.
Public Works Director Matt Supert said even if the village does approve the change order and agrees to pay the overtime, the project will still be at the mercy of fall weather, which could complicate matters. The goal of getting the platforms and the parking reopened before winter is now in jeopardy, he said.
“IDOT said they could shut down the work for the winter, which would mean the platforms and some commuter parking areas would remain closed until spring, which is not ideal for the village,” Supert said.
Village Board members asked for a better cost breakdown of when crews would be on site Saturdays, and what the overtime rate would be.
“I’d also like to see alternative costs on how much it would be to board up this project over the winter if we don’t pay the overtime,” board member James Tyrell said. “Would it cost us $50,000 instead of $25,000. I’d like to know that.”
Supert said there have also been some unforeseen delays because crews cannot work near the tracks during heavy rush-hour train times, and much of the platform work is done from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during lighter train traffic hours.
He said crews are often on site from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but cannot work within 10 feet of the tracks during busy times, or when no railroad flagger is on site.
David Heitz is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
