Aurora should break ground yet this year on two new fire stations.
An Aurora City Council committee recently recommended funding resolutions for Fire Station 13, a new station, and Fire Station 9, which would replace a station in a different location.
Aldermen on the Infrastructure and Technology Committee recommended funding for the two stations, which had a total of 22 bid items and attracted a total of 199 bids, according to Michael Kaufman, assistant chief for support services.
The full City Council still needs to vote on the funding resolutions.
Fire Station 13 would be on the southeast corner of Bilter Road and Nan Street, just east of Farnsworth Avenue, on land the city has owned since 2015.
The cost of the 19,000-square-foot station will be about $12.8 million, with a 5% contingency.
Fire Station 9 would be on about a 2.5-acre site at 7S300 Eola Road, just south of Liberty Street.
The cost would be about $11.5 million for the 17,600-square-foot station.
Both stations are being built to improve call response times in the northeast part of town.
Kaufman said response time to the area to be served by Fire Station 13, which includes Chicago Premium Outlets mall and all the development along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road, would decrease significantly with the new station, because now it comes from either a station near Fox Valley Mall, or downtown.
A study done several years ago pinpointed the best locations for stations. According to fire officials, the goal in moving and constructing new stations is to get response times below six minutes for regular fire responses and four minutes for emergency medical responses.
The funding for both stations are guaranteed maximum prices. They are being handled by Leopardo Construction, of Hoffman Estates, which is the construction manager for both projects.
Kaufman said the groundbreaking for Fire Station 13 on Bilter Road is scheduled for Nov. 13. The groundbreaking for Fire Station 9 will be some time between Nov. 27 and Dec. 11.
slord@tribpub.com
