Cedar Road, one of the main roadways in New Lenox, will have its water main replaced later this month.
The $4.07 million project primarily focuses on replacing close to 2 miles of water main, stretching from Illinois Highway to Francis Road.
“Our plan is to replace all that stuff, so that we don’t have all those [water main] breaks that we have all the time in the middle of the night,” Civil Engineer Will Nash said. “You know, you get up in the middle of the night to take a shower, and you can’t. This will be a middle of the day, two-hour timeframe where you can’t use the water.”
In addition to the water main, the Village will be replacing hydrants, valves, and water service pipes.
“This is where we were having our biggest issues,” Village Administrator Kurt Carroll said of the aging water main. “We can always work on other things later.”
The project has been in talks for the Village of New Lenox the last two to three years, Nash said. The Village is working with Christopher B. Burke Engineering and Superior Excavating to satisfy this aim.
Replacement of the Cedar Road water main is slated to begin mid-March. The Village will utilize message boards to inform people.
Work will be completed in four block stages, with different segments moving south to north from Illinois Highway to Wood Street, Joliet Highway to Route 30, Route 30 to Wood Street, and Wood Street to Francis Road.
The Village anticipates one lane of traffic will be closed during the project.
At the time, residents and commuters may see flaggers, depending on what’s going on with the traffic, Nash said. Safety is our no. 1 priority, he added.
The Village intends to limit any impact the project has on residents and commuters.
Nash said the Village apologies for any inconvenience.
“Our hope is [to] get that done, and we don’t have these unscheduled inconveniences at all hours of the day, wrecking everybody’s travel schedule, or not getting you a shower when you need to, or [not turning] on the water.”
There will be at least two water main shutdowns, with advance notice given to residents.
A letter went out to residents recently notifying them of lead services, in accordance with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
Nash said the Village is not aware of any lead services they’ll need to perform.
“If we do something, I think that’s going to be case-by-case basis to try to figure out,” he said.
There will be a short period of time when the old and new water mains will be fired up, Nash said. The old water main will remain in place shut off, as well as be capped and drained by the project’s end.
“It should be better,” Nash said of the water pressure. “[The water main] won’t be leaking as much.”
The project is to be paid for using the Village’s water and sewer fees, as well as an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loan.
Nash said the Village’s website, at www.newlenox.net, will be providing weekly updates, should residents want to know more information about the project once it gets underway.
Cedar Road water main replacement is anticipated to reach completion in November.