Since the June 26 flooding in east Hinsdale, the more than 50 residents who were impacted have yet to get compensation from the agency at the root of the problem.
According to village staff, they have been communicating with representatives of the Illinois State Tollway Authority, who both residents and officials agree caused the flooding after the project on Interstate 294, and the Village’s engineering firm, HR Green, to assess the damage and find a solution.
The Illinois Tollway said it is looking to its contractor, Chicago-based Walsh Construction, to reimburse residents for flood-related expenses.
The lack of accountability from the Tollway has been a source of frustration, both village officials and residents said.
At Tuesday’s Hinsdale Village Board meeting, Village President Tom Cauley said, “residents shouldn’t have to go around to figure out who caused the problem.” The Tollway said in addition to Walsh construction, residents should also go to the subcontractor for information.
Based on a Sept. 16 update from the Tollway, the village said Walsh and the subcontractor’s insurance companies are “working diligently to provide a determination to the 50+ residents who have submitted claims.”
The Tollway was slated to provide residents who submitted claims prior to Aug. 2 a determination by the end of September, and those that submitted claims after Aug. 2 were told to anticipate a resolution within 60-90 days of filing. Residents at the board meeting said that did not happen.
John Bloomfield, whose home on Fuller Road and Phillippa Street was adversely affected by the flooding, said he and his neighbors have not received any substantial updates from the Tollway, except that the issue was being “worked on.”
“You have the opportunity to hold the Tollway accountable, so we aren’t tossed between different vendors,” he added.
Village officials, including Cauley, were on the same page.
“The Tollway should have stepped up to the plate on this, they have not. Now it is the village’s problem,” Cauley said.
Cauley encouraged the residents to attend the next Illinois Tollway board meeting on Oct. 21 to provide more pressure on the agency. Cauley said he would also be in attendance.
