McHenry County Blog

Obama Federal Stimulus Public Works Sign on Route 14 next to The Freeze.

Remember the stories about the traffic lights that froze over?

They had LED bulbs. The Light Emitting Diodes did not generate enough heat to melt freezing rain.

But they save a lot of electricity. About 90%.

And, the ones being installed on Route 14 from Devonshire to Dole Avenue will have battery back-up, so stop sign like movement won’t be necessary during times when power is lost.

Locators on McHenry Avenue at Route 14 searching for underground pipes and wires.

And, there’re almost “free.”

Well, not exactly free. Our children and grandchildren will be paying for them because some of the money is coming from American Recovery and Reinvestment money—the Federal stimulus money that has made this the most deficit-ridden year in American history.

But the City did receive $262,000 in ARRA funds to upgrade the three traffic signals. The total cost is estimated to be $432,000, according to City Engineer Victor Ramirez. The non-Federal money will come from Motor Fuel Taxes.

He further explains that there will be “new pedestrian crossing heads, and audible ped heads at Keith/Devonshire.”

Flags and paint appear within 150 feet of the intersections of Route 14 and Dole Avenue, McHenry Avenue and Devonshire Lane.

Want more details?

Here’s how the City of Crystal Lake explains it:

The City is starting construction on traffic signal improvements at three intersections:

• US 14 (Virginia Street) at Dole Avenue
• US 14 (Virginia Street) at McHenry Avenue
• US 14 (Virginia Street) at Devonshire Lane/Keith Avenue

The improvement includes upgrading the intersections to LED signals, the installation of a battery backup system, new signal poles and mast arms, countdown pedestrian signals, and the installation of an audible pedestrian signal at US 14 (Virginia Street) and Devonshire Lane/Keith Avenue.

The installation of the temporary traffic signals will begin in March, and last approximately one month. The permanent traffic signals are scheduled to installed beginning mid-May of this year with completion expected by the end of the summer.

This is the first project of the larger Virginia Street Corridor TIF improvements. The City received American Recovery and Reinvestment funds to help fund this traffic signal improvement.

At Tuesday night’s meeting of neighbors at Rick and Ernstiena Clark’s home on Meridian Street, newly-elected Village President Erin Smith told the upwards of 30 people gathered that Lakewood has been approved for a grant of about $330,000 to complete the relining of the sanitary sewer project on the east side of the village.

This pertains to the water headed to the Crystal Lake Waste Treatment Plant in Country Club Additions between the lake and the Crystal Lake Country Club.

I asked the village staff for details and here they are, compliments of Finance Director Carole Robertson:

The Village of Lakewood has applied for a Water Pollution Control Loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for $310,000 for relining of sanitary sewer and the rehabilitation of manholes on the east side of the Village to minimize inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system.

The current sanitary sewer system in this area is over 70 years old and does not operate as intended due to excessive infiltration and exfiltration.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the IEPA may issue the Loan at zero percent (0%) interest and forgive $77,500 of principal (25% of the loan amount).

Bids will be opened on November 3rd with work to begin a week afterward. Work will most likely continue into spring 2010.

Ironically, the sewers were originally installed through Works Progress Administration. For those whose Great Depression history is a bit weak, the WPA put people to work during the 1930’s.