The Aurora City Council has approved additional funds for roadwork on Farnsworth Avenue, Bilter Road and Church Road, much of which is connected to the new Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort project.
The change approved on Tuesday increases a phase two engineering contract the city has with engineering firm HR Green, Inc. by $256,291. City staff said in a report attached to the Tuesday meeting’s agenda that the phase two design is actually already complete, but extra services were needed beyond what was included in the original $1.1 million contract, and those services will continue through the construction phase of the project.
The original agreement from 2023 assumed a project duration of eight months, but because of the growing scope of the work, the duration was extended beyond 12 months, staff said in the report.
Additional tasks now included but previously not covered in the city’s phase two engineering contract with HR Green include expanded utility coordination, additional surveying, plat preparation and property acquisition negotiation, expanded storm sewer and detention design, additional design coordination with development projects near the construction and additional meetings.
The additional cost was already budgeted for 2025 and will be paid through the city’s general obligation bond and capital improvement funds, according to the report.
The City Council on Tuesday voted 11-1 in favor of the amendment, with Ald. John Laesch, at large, voting against. Aldermen did not discuss the item before taking the vote.
Last month, the City Council approved the phase three construction engineering contract with HR Green for about $1.9 million. At the same meeting, a $19.5 million contract with low-bidder R.W. Dunteman Co., of Addison, was approved for the roadwork.
That’s higher than the $16 million the city had expected to pay for the work, so officials are looking at changing some things and delaying others to afford it, according to past reporting.
The city is still moving ahead with things like right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation, which HR Green is involved with.
City officials have said they want this ready so they can look for additional federal funding of the projects. Already, the city has $2.5 million in federal funds committed to the work.
The casino has put forward $2 million for the roads as part of its redevelopment agreement with the city, and the tax increment financing district for the casino site could pay for some of the roadwork as well.
Also, the city is expected to get an estimated $2 million to $2.5 million in interest off the proceeds from the $58 million bond issue the city passed as part of the casino redevelopment agreement. This is because, although the city has passed the bond issue already, it had not yet paid the casino the promised $50 million toward the overall $360 million project, according to past reporting.
Payments will be made after the casino passes a series of benchmarks. In the meantime, the city is earning interest off the proceeds.
Although much of the roadwork is tied to the Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort project, which is currently underway, the city has been planning for all the roadwork needed in that area through 2050, officials have said.
In addition to the casino resort project, the city owns land further east on Bilter Road that is set to be developed.
The city is hoping to have much of the roadwork done by the day after Thanksgiving next year, because that is the start of a big weekend for the nearby Chicago Premium Outlets mall.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
