Franklin Park officials recently announced the village received two federal grants totaling over $1.5 million that will be used to improve roads, sidewalks and lead water lines, including on Schiller Boulevard, and on Washington Street between Belmont and King.
Officials explained that lead replacement lines will run from the village’s main line in the middle of the road to private homes. Typically, these lines are replaced — and paid for — by the homeowner since they are on homeowner property, but the village has been replacing them for residents through local funding and state loans.
The federal dollars announced in March, however, mark the first grant Franklin Park has received for the project.
“The village doesn’t have that many, if any, lead pipes in its system,” said Mayor Barrett Pedersen. “What we’re replacing is the privately owned service lines from the road to the house.”
Village officials announced March 14 a grant for $959,752 received through U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s office. A portion of the Chicago Democrat’s 4th District includes Franklin Park. Garcia fended off a challenge from a Chicago alderman in the primary election last month.
On March 19, another $601,439 was announced, an effort of U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez’s, D-Chicago, office.
In Franklin Park, the Belmont project is part of an ongoing repair project that began last year and, as Garcia noted in a news release, the funding will increase public safety by replacing lead water pipes and also improve appearances.
“The funding goes beyond road repair as it provides families with access to clean water while creating a more welcoming, landscaped environment,” Garcia stated..
The money came as part of a pair of federal spending bills, and construction on both projects is set to begin after the bidding process and contractors get approved. Officials estimate that will take months. However, the work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Besides the aesthetics and lead safety, the Schiller Boulevard Reconstruction Project will include roadway, sidewalk and curb improvements along Schiller Boulevard, according to project plans. It is also getting funded by state loans and local sources.
The Washington Street project will also replace residential lead water lines in accordance with the Washington Street Improvements Plan. That plan will likely affect some truck routes as well as residential drivers. The project will also include water main and roadway replacements.
“It’s a street that is heavily trafficked by steel trucks, trucks carrying trucks from Nelson Steel,” said Pedersen.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.
