New Lenox Village Board of Trustees will vote on a revised proposal for Providence Catholic High School’s transportation hub next month after reviewing the matter at its May 22 meeting.
The plan as devised involves relocating the bus parking lot from the main campus to another locale right off the school’s west campus, located at the southwest corner of Gougar Road and U.S. Route 30. Such a move will allow Providence to build a new addition as part of the school’s capital improvements project, set to get underway this summer.
The transportation hub, if approved by the board in June, intends to house 14 buses. It also includes 10 employee parking spaces, a 224-square-foot modular trailer, a 2,500-gallon above ground fueling tank, a storage shed and landscaping.
The Rev. Richard McGrath withdrew the school’s previous proposal in March, at which point a number of residents expressed concerns for the project outlining plans to host a transportation hub at the northwest corner of Gougar Road and Ferro Drive. Also at that meeting, Trustee David Smith suggested the use of the school’s west campus.
Providence officials had surveyed the property that formerly housed K-Mart for its proposed transportation hub and approached Village officials about developing the lot only to find it wasn’t feasible.
Members of the Village’s Plan Commission split on how to proceed with the proposed special use for the bus transportation hub at the corner of Gougar Road and Route 30.
Will County Board Member Ray Tuminello (R-New Lenox), who serves on Providence’s advisory board, said he would work to make sure the community’s voice is heard throughout the process, if the revised plan is approved.
“I want to make sure that [Rev. Richard McGrath] was very clear that when this gets built, if it gets approved, it has to be built on high standards and we have to address every one of the residents’ concerns,” he said.
Smith maintained that the corner of Route 30 and Gougar Road is viewed as a good location fit for Providence’s project.
Much like the previous proposal, a petition had circulated and amassed more than 200 signatures. Arguments for asking the Village to reject the special use include issues for traffic, pollution, risk for vandalism and noise.
Village staff agreed that traffic created by the 14 buses entering and leaving the proposed bus transportation hub would not create a detriment to the surrounding area.
The development is to occupy a 17.8-acre site that is 600 feet from nearby residential properties, whereas the previous location considered only allowed 200 feet of separation.
Mayor Tim Baldermann questioned if the lot on the corner of Route 30 and Gougar will be able to continue serving visitors looking to attend after-school events.
Tuminello explained that buses are to be relocated to the parking lot near the school’s main campus or Cherry Hill Church of Christ on days when events are hosted.
The Village Board will vote on revised plan for the bus transportation hub at its June 12 meeting.
Site plan amendment for Silver Cross Ambulatory Surgery Center OK’d
Silver Cross Hospital is seeking modifications to its construction plan for its ambulatory surgery center, as well as changes to Pawlak Parkway.
Plans for the northwest corner of Silver Cross Boulevard and Pawlak Parkway, as approved by the Village Board in November 2016, need to be revised to accommodate the needs of the site now under construction, future traffic concerns and the development of a behavioral health facility.
Pawlak Parkway is to be redesigned to eliminate the median and extend the road straight west allowing it to end to the west of the ambulatory surgery center, instead of bending southwesterly from Silver Cross Boulevard. It will initially serve as a private roadway and later will be designated as a public roadway to promote further development in the area.
“By doing so, you’ll get two westbound traffic lanes heading west [toward the ambulatory surgery center and proposed behavioral health center,]” Village Planner Jeff Smith said.
Other amendments include updates to landscaping, lighting and storm water detention facility plans.
Round it up
A brief recap of Village Board action May 22
New Lenox officials adopted an ordinance to authorize the Village to borrow funds from the Public Water Supply Loan program to pay for Cedar Road and Route 30 water main replacement projects. Costs for the construction and installation will amount to an estimated $9,485,000.
The board approved a bid award in an amount of $35,000 to advance the Village’s 2017 Motor Fuel Tax Road Resurfacing project. The funds are to cover the cost of 5.48 miles of roadwork.
Trustees rejected a measure that could have awarded a $445,000 contract to Seven Brothers for Ferro Water Tower rehabilitation and thereby will rebid the project. The Village said there’s a finding that they did not pay the prevailing wage. In a related development, officials voted to remove from the agenda the consideration of a proposal submitted by Dixon Engineering for Ferro Water Tower rehabilitation inspection.
New Lenox officials granted a proposal, valued at $22,450, to Dixon Engineering for Ferro Water Tower antenna removal and replacement. The Village contends that approving this measure is a necessary action to keep the rehabilitation project from experiencing further delay.