The original date to break ground was Monday, April 4, 2022, however there was question on whether necessary soil sample results would be back in time, so the official start date was moved back to Monday, April 11, 2022. Preliminary work began Wednesday, April 6, 2022 with some equipment being delivered, barricades being put up and a bit of sawing beginning. Weather dependent, construction will be at full speed, as planned, the week of April 11, 2022.

The contract for construction is 100 working days, not including weather, weekends and holidays. Projection for completion is sometime in September or October. There will be periodic updates here on the website and on our Facebook page.

Construction will follow the IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) approved PHASES:

1. Center & Main Street to North Street (Drainage on the West side past McCorkle Funeral Home)
2. West Side sidewalks
3. East Side sidewalks
4. Center Park

Alliance Contractors of Woodstock, Illinois, have ultimate control of procedure in coordination with IDOT requirements.

Most often there will be through traffic and parking of limited nature. Equipment and materials will be placed in specific locations on the Square, depending on which phase is being worked on at any given time. Materials and equipment will be as out of the way as possible. When one side of the Square is closed, the other will have through-traffic and parking. The detour for the other lane of traffic will be sent down Water Street. Detour signs will be placed so that that drivers will know the direction that traffic should go.

There may be portions of the project that effect the width of the road, in which the road will be closed to through traffic for short-term periods.

There is no believed time or cost savings to close the whole Square, nor was it an option. The PHASE procedure is the IDOT approved process.

There will an Observation Engineer from Fehr-Graham on-site daily as work is being completed.

Alliance Contractors followed IDOT procedures in going out to bid for subcontractors.

The following list are the lowest bidders and were awarded the job:

• HMA-William Charles
• Traffic Control– Selco Inc
• Landscaping– Arteaga
• Electrical – Elmund and Nelson
• Pavement Marking– Countryman Inc
• Environmental Consultant– Brownfield
• Railing– Kelley Ironworks
• Masonry– Jimmy’Z
• Signs-Bright Signs & Awnings and Countryman Inc

Fehr-Graham, Rockford, Illinois, had done work within the Village of Durand years before the Square Projects conception but was not working with us at the time. The Village of Durand used an SOQ (Statement of Qualifications) to screen engineering firms that wished to be considered for the Streetscape Project. The firms were anonymously scored by their qualifications and understanding of the Village and the scope of the project.  Fehr-Graham scored the highest and we chose them to render a concept which has evolved into the project that is breaking ground now. Fehr-Graham came back on as the Village’s engineering firm at that time. They have done many projects for the Village and remain the Village’s engineering firm.

General Contractor:

Alliance Contractors of Woodstock, Illinois was the lowest bidder, at $1,737,375.02, and came highly recommended. Alliance Contractors generally does one of these types of projects per year. 

A few of their previous Streetscape projects have been for:

• Village of Huntley
• Village of Skokie
• Village of Harvard
• Village of Forest Park

Mayor Hoffman reached out personally to the public works departments of each of these Villages who all gave rave reviews of Kurt M., Project Superintendent, Alliance Contractors and their crew.  All Villages stated that they continue to have a good working relationship with the company. Kurt is available, friendly and helpful with anything needed.  He took the initial steps to make sure paperwork and soil testing were completed so that the project could start on time. Kurt continues to keep the Village up-to-date on plans and progress.

Minor drainage improvements are planned to help eliminate ponding in the pavement at the North end. This includes some storm pipe installation.

The large puddle of standing water by Anytime Fitness, Otter Creek Historical House and McCorkle’s Funeral Home will be addressed with this project.

Alliance Contractors and the Observation Engineer will work to make sure that business are accessible by front door, most of the time. Many businesses have back door access as well. There will be a some times when access will not be possible, for instance, when concrete is being poured in front of the business but should be short-term (a couple days). We will do our best to keep the community aware of closures as necessary.

For 2022- Changes to events normally hosted on the Square

1st Annual Glenn Matteson Memorial Car Show (formerly the Stateline Classics Car Show) will be held at the American Legion Hall this year on Sunday, June 12, 2022 Hosted by the Durand American Legion Post 676, 211 N. State Street, Durand, IL 61024

Durand 4th of July Festivities will follow it’s usual format with the exception of the Street Dance. Hopes are to plan the Street Dance in coordination with the completion of the Square as a “Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting” Event to celebrate completion of the project and invite everyone to gather back down to the Square and have some fun. It will not take place in July. Plans are to have the Parade as usual with the exception of going around the Square= W. Main to E. Main, turn right on State Street, turn right on South Street and end at Durand School. Watch for flyers and postings on the D.A.R.T.S. Facebook page.

Biker Bash & Chili Shootout may not take place in 2022, however coordinators are holding off on an announcement either way in hopes that the Project may be done by the 2nd Saturday in September. Moving this event is a bit more difficult as distance creates some issues for liquor establishments and licensing. Watch for information regarding the Biker Bash as the time draws near.

The center portion of the roadway is NOT ITEP ELIGIBLE, meaning it was NOT able to be part of this the project for payment with the ITEP grant monies. However, the Village plans to pay out-of-pocket, independent of this project, to remove the cracked, water-damaged pavement in the center of the roadway and repave.

Correct. There was discussion in the past of whether to remove Center Park, raise the entire roadway, and replace Center Park but did not pass. The current project will raise the sidewalks to the building doorways, with the road remaining at its current level.

Not necessarily. The Project will bring the sidewalks up to the building doorways. It will be the property owners responsibility to take measures to make their entrance handicap accessible. 

Yes. The Contractor carries insurance that will cover anything that occurs as a direct result of the construction of the project.

Project Costs

• $1,737,375.02    The Accepted Low Bid
• $150,401.86       Engineering Fees
• $20,000              ITEP Grand Administration
  • $1,907,776.88 Total Project Cost

Funding Sources

• $1,289,560          Original Awarded ITEP Grant
• $220,662             Additional Awarded ITEP Grant
  • $1,510,222 Total Grand Funding Secured

$397,554.80                   Village Match for this project

There will be additional costs out-of-pocket for the Village of Durand for any change orders that are necessary or issues that arise. Also, the center of the roadway is NOT ITEP ELIGIBLE to be paid by Grant monies. The Village will take care of the roadway independently of this project.

The Village of Durand is working with Solutions Bank and our legal team to secure funding through either a low interest loan or bonds. More information will follow as details come together in its final form.

This Project IS eligible for TIF fund use, however, the Village is working on creating a Facade Program for the property owners on the Square to possibly offset any costs associated with improving their fascade or bringing their entrance into ADA compliance. Those details should come together on what and how that can be done. 

Yes, there will be new lamp posts on both the sidewalks and the boulevard. Sidewalk lamp posts are 40′ high with a head over the parking spaces, a pedestrian light over the sidewalk and lamp posts in Center Park. These are paid in part by the USDA RBEG Grant that was received for this project. They have been purchased and are stored with Public Works until installation.

Room darkening shades or curtains are suggested. There has been discussion of possibly dimming these lights after a certain time, however whether that is an option has not been resolved yet.

Yes, there will handicap parking stalls at the North and South ends of each side of the Square near the ramps. There will possibly be a few others striped on our additional parking lots when they are paved as well.

Our additional parking lots are:

• At the Southeast end of the Square (old Spelman Station/Hopper Lot)
• Off of Oak Street (behind the East side of the Square)
• North of Anytime Fitness 

After careful consideration, the Village Board still believes that this is not feasible. Parking on Square in public parking, first-come, first-served basis.

The Village of Durand will REMOVE snow instead of push snow from the roadway. The Village will also assume responsibility of clearing snow from the sidewalks with over 2″ of snowfall. Only Village approved salt will be allowed on the sidewalks. 

The Village will possibly hire for the first year and then Public Works will assume care once the plants are established. It is yet to be determined, the Village may assume care in the first season 2023.

The planters are cement and are part of the retaining wall. They are open all the way to the ground and will drain into the ground. There should never be extended periods of standing water in them.

No, unfortunately, we pulled back some of the space that was considered for tables on the sidewalk with concern for narrowing the roadway too much. There will be periodic benches on the sidewalks around the Square. 

Center Street is a State Highway up to the Square. Fehr-Graham designed the layout with IDOT approval. The driving lane will remain wider that State requirement. Semi trucks, Fire Trucks, buses, etc will still be able to drive through the Square. However, the roadway will not be wide enough for Combines and wide farm equipment to drive through. The Village has asked that farm equipment use the “farm route” which is Pepper Street, West Main Street, East Main Street, and South Street. These are the outside perimeter of the Village. ComEd has been asked to audit the height of power lines on those streets to make sure they are high enough. Mediacom and Frontier have not been as responsive to this request in the past, however it is their repsonsibly to keep their lines at State guideline heights.