Chicago to invest $20 million in stormwater management projects following Midwestern flooding

(UI) – Following a weekend of heavy rains, leaders for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and Cook County announced funding to better manage future stormwater and the unpredictable and unsettling nature of climate change.

On June 24, MWRD President Kari K. Steele and commissioners joined Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County commissioners and municipal and township leaders at the MWRD to unveil plans to fund $20 million toward 26 stormwater management projects.

The goal is bolstering resiliency across Cook County, with special emphasis on underserved communities. This effort, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), includes support for 16 critical projects led by the MWRD.

DoTH worked with key partners, including the MWRD and the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS) to select the projects from previously unfunded/underfunded MWRD Stormwater Partnership applications, the Cook County Hazard Mitigation Plan priorities and other known locations where funding is critical to moving projects forward.

The $20 million ARPA allocation, authorized by the MWRD Board of Commissioners and Cook County, will support various stages of project development, including planning, engineering, and construction.

The MWRD and the County identified 16 stormwater projects following a rigorous evaluation process, prioritizing areas with significant flooding risks and infrastructure needs.

Key project sites include Bedford Park, Burbank and Oak Lawn, Crestwood, Dixmoor, Dolton, Forest View, Glenwood and Bloom Township, Harvey, La Grange Highlands, Lyons and McCook, Lyons Township, Maine Township and Park Ridge, Midlothian and Bremen Township, Northfield Township, Orland Township, Schiller Park, and South Holland.

Three of the communities receiving funding participated in the press conference. Maine Township received $1.5 million for a flood control project to address regional flooding, including residential structure flooding.

The Villages of Crestwood and Midlothian along with Bremen Township received $1.5 million to replace existing culverts, make channel improvements, and expand existing and construct new detention facilities to address local flooding.

The Village of Schiller Park received $500,000 for the extension of storm sewers to remove stormwater runoff from the existing overburdened combined sewer that serves the impacted roadways and direct it to an existing storm sewer to reduce residential structure flooding.

 “With the design engineering already completed and the mitigation greatly needed, these projects were paused until they could be funded. Since MWRD engineers were already engaged in projects with the Village engineers, we requested a partnership. And today, thanks to their vision for this project, the Schiller Park drainage improvements are moving forward and more of our residents and businesses will see flood relief,” said Schiller Park Mayor Nick Caiafa.

“Developing a ‘pipeline’ of projects at different phases, positions projects for future potential funding opportunities,” said DoTH Superintendent Jennifer “Sis” Killen. “This program represents the priorities in our Long-Range Transportation Plan, Connecting Cook County.”

 

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