O’Fallon outlines improvement projects at Town Hall meeting

The O’Fallon Department of Public Works has kept up a full slate of infrastructure improvements and construction projects this year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the first Town Hall Meeting since the public health crisis had limited crowd gatherings in March, Jeff Taylor, director of public works, outlined the ongoing work in the city Aug. 19. The meeting was also available on the Zoom platform.

Mayor Herb Roach also noted the first Committee of the Whole meeting of the year will take place Monday, Aug. 31, and the O’Fallon City Council will address the master plan for the city, which hasn’t been updated since 2006. The new plan will look ahead to 2040, he said.

“It will help plan our growth in the next 20 years. A lot of changes have occurred, and we’re going to be looking at how we want to be,” Roach said. “This is preliminary planning. We want new ideas and to find some new approaches.”

He noted that neither St. Elizabeth’s Hospital or the McKendree RecPlex were part of the previous master plan, and the town’s population has increased as well.

The Committee of the Whole meeting will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 at City Hall but also available through the Zoom teleconferencing tool. Registration is required.

Taylor explained four future projects that will cost over $6.5 million but are necessary for the city’s infrastructure. These four projects are expected to cost over $6.5 million.

“It is our responsibility to keep O’Fallon’s infrastructure in satisfactory condition so that we can continue to provide high quality services,” Roach said.

Future Projects in 2021

• Venita Drive reconstruction: This project, set to begin in summer of 2021, will reconstruct Venita Drive from Taylor Road to the Porter Road roundabout. The reconstruction will include the installation of storm sewer and curb and gutter along the entire roadway. In addition, a southbound left turn lane into the Sports Park will be added. It is expected to be finished in four months.
• Presidential Streets Phase 5 and West Presidential Streets Phase 1: Expected to begin in early 2021, this project will improve drainage, install new sanitary sewers, watermains and reconstruct the roadways in this older part of town. The area includes the 100 and 200 blocks East Jefferson and East Madison, North Vine between Adams and Jackson, North Penn between Adams and Madison, West Madison between Lincoln and Cedar, West Monroe, North Cherry between Madison and Jackson, 500 block of North Oak, and the 500 block of North Cedar. It is expected to be completed in six months.
• Union Hill Road watermain replacement: This project is paid with enterprise funds, which is derived completely from water bill payments. It will replace the watermain along Union Hill Road from Lincoln Trail to Longacre Drive in Fairview Heights. It is a project not inside city limits but the city also serves water customers in Fairview Heights and this is a major line that brings water to O’Fallon.
• South trunk main replacement Phase 1: This project will replace the existing sanitary sewer trunk main beginning north of Quarry Road and extend north 5,000 feet where it converges with the north trunk main. The existing sewer trunk main is concrete pipe and needs replacement.

Additional projects

Other projects include construction of a lift station at Rieder Road, explanation of a lift station at Rieder Road, expansion of the O’Fallon Wastewater Treatment Plant, water tower maintenance, drainage work at Milburn Estates and replacement of a sanitary sewer line at North Oak.

The Rieder Road project is expected to cost $2 million and Taylor said they hope to accept bids on it soon.

The water treatment plant expansion would be “setting us up for the future with added capacity,” Taylor said.

Next summer, the city’s annual pavement management project will repave and improve $1.5 million worth of roadways. Those are selected by using a pavement management system that evaluates every road in the city to set priorities.

Recently completed or projects currently underway include

• The 2020 City Street Resurfacing Project: This began Aug. 4 and includes Deer Creek subdivision, Brookside Subdivision, Meadowbrook Subdivision and Country Oaks. Southview subdivision will be later in August or September.
• Robert Drive sanitary sewer extension: The Robert Drive Sanitary Sewer Extension project began July 20 and is expected to be complete Friday, weather permitting, by Korte and Luitjohan Contractors. The proposed project will extend the existing sanitary sewer infrastructure to the east along Robert Drive to serve the homes on the north side of the road.
• Concrete program: A contractor began the concrete replacement work in the Country Oaks subdivision July 16 to repair sections of damaged curb. This work was done in advance of an asphalt overlay later this summer. Concrete work in this area is anticipated to take two-three weeks, weather permitting. Major concrete work will be performed in the Meadowbrook and Brookside Subdivision areas, and the Southview and Country Oaks Subdivision areas.
• Seven Hill Road: The project to restore the road condition of Seven Hills Road was completed by Christ Brothers.
• Storm sewer drainage improvements: Misty Valley, $100,000; Milburn Estates, $300,000.
• Southview Gardens watermain replacement: $660,000
• Water Tower maintenance and repair at State Street Tower and Seven Hills Tower: Expected in early fall or spring, $500,000.

Roach also noted the city will take part in a National Citizens Survey, which they do every two years. He said 1,600 households are selected at random.

“This gives us very good feedback that is important on what we’re doing right and wrong, and what we need to improve upon,” he said.