Lake County Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting - May 6, 2026

The Lake County Public Works and Transportation Committee met on May 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. via in-person and remote attendance. The meeting was called to order by Chair Clark, with a quorum present. Members Hunter and Hewitt participated electronically due to employment and personal illness, respectively. The committee approved a consent agenda, received a detailed presentation from Pace on transit updates and the Revision plan, and took action on several infrastructure contracts and resolutions.

Consent Calendar

• Items 8.1 and 8.2 were approved unanimously via motion by Kasbin, second by Roberts. (No further details provided in the transcript.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made.

Discussion Items

• Pace Update (Item 8.3): Executives from Pace, including Executive Director Melinda Metzger, Chief Planning Officer Eric Llewellyn, and Lake County Pace Board representative Linda Soto, presented on recent and planned service enhancements in Lake County. Key topics included:
  • Electrification: Lake County is the first Pace location to achieve a fully electric bus garage. Phase one (outdoor charging structure) is complete; phase two (garage interior work) is expected to start in July 2026. The goal is to electrify the entire fleet by 2040, but bus procurement has been delayed due to supplier bankruptcies.
  • School Partnership: Pace provides service for Waukegan High Schools, offering passes for all rides, not just school trips.
  • Van Gogh Program: A van rental service at Lake Forest and Lake Cook Road train stations, costing $5 per trip, addresses the last-mile problem. It has expanded to nine other locations.
  • Revision Plan: A long-term restructuring of fixed-route and on-demand services. The draft plan proposes a 50% service increase (approx. $150 million more annually), with 70% of resources focused on ridership (high-density areas) and 30% on coverage (less dense areas). Key changes include:
    • All fixed routes (except commuter/school) operating seven days per week, with increased frequency. Currently, only four routes in Lake County operate on Sundays.
    • New Route 575 connecting Waukegan to Vernon Hills (Hawthorne Mall).
    • Expansion of Round Lake on-demand service.
  • NITA Act Impact: The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act (effective June 1, 2026) will change funding allocation to be based on performance metrics (passenger trips, miles, etc.) and service standards (population density, employment density, walkability). Committee members expressed concern that these metrics could disadvantage collar counties like Lake County. Linda Soto emphasized the need for Lake County to advocate within the new NITA board.
  • Safety and Amenities: Pace is upgrading security (cameras, driver alerts) and working with municipalities on bus shelters and sidewalks. The committee discussed difficulties in placing shelters due to right-of-way and permitting issues, especially along state routes.
• Envision 2050 Update (Item 8.11): Mike Clemens from the Lake County Division of Transportation reported on the long-range transportation plan. Outreach has included stakeholder groups, high school student advisory groups, and an in-person open house (April 14, 2026) with over 60 attendees. A virtual open house is open through May 15, 2026, at LakeCounty2050.com. The plan is in phase two (developing goals and strategies). A travel demand model is being finalized. Future steps include identifying projects and developing a financial plan.

Key Outcomes

• Item 8.4 – Concrete Patching: Approved a $245,520 contract with Triggy Construction Inc. for concrete patching on various county highways, appropriating $295,000 in motor fuel tax funds. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Roberts; unanimous.)
• Item 8.5 – Bonner Road Engineering: Approved a $3,267,871 contract with Alfred Bench and Company for phase one engineering on Bonner Road (Darrell to Fairfield), appropriating $3,922,000 in county motor fuel tax funds. The project includes resurfacing, off-road bike path conversion, and safety improvements. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Maine; unanimous.)
• Item 8.6 – Culvert Replacements: Approved a $914,874.75 contract with Bravo Company Engineering for phase two design of culvert replacements under Deerfield Parkway and the Robert McClory bike path, appropriating $1,098,000 in county bridge tax funds. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Roberts; unanimous.)
• Item 8.7 – Fairfield Road Resurfacing: Approved a $2,046,974.56 contract with Peter Baker and Sun Company for resurfacing Fairfield Road (Nippersink to IL 60), appropriating $2,457,000 in motor fuel tax funds. The project includes widening paved shoulders and adding rumble strips. (Motion by Wasick, second by Maine; unanimous.)
• Item 8.8 – Hunt Club Road Right-of-Way: Appropriated $2,100,000 from quarter-percent sales tax funds for right-of-way acquisition (by agreement or condemnation) for the Hunt Club Road and Stearns School Road roundabout project. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Roberts; unanimous.)
• Item 8.9 – Wetland Mitigation Bank Change Order: Approved a $40,500 change order (No. 3) and supplemental appropriation of $29,500 in county bridge tax funds for additional monitoring and maintenance years (years 8 and 9) of the Buffalo Creek Wetland Mitigation Bank. The native vegetation has not matured sufficiently due to drought. (Motion by Wasick, second by Kasbin; unanimous.)
• Item 8.10 – Delaney Road Traffic Signal Detection: Approved a $157,981 contract with Mead Inc. for modernization of detection cameras at five intersections, appropriating $190,000 in quarter-percent sales tax funds. The old cameras are end-of-life. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Roberts; unanimous.)
• Item 8.12 – Calcium Nitrate Purchase: Approved a $139,320 contract with Avoqua Water Technologies for calcium nitrate to control odor in sewer lift stations. The contract is for up to four years. (Motion by Kasmin, second by Roberts; unanimous.)
• Item 8.13 – Saunders Road Lift Station & Sewer Replacement: Approved a $7,936,226 contract with Boulder Contractors Inc. for phase two of the Saunders Road project (gravity sewer and lift station replacement). The bid came in higher than the $5.1 million estimate; $2.9 million was moved from contingency. (Motion by Wasick, second by Kasbin; unanimous.)
• Executive Session: The committee entered executive session to review closed session minutes from October 8, 2025, and November 5, 2025. After returning, they approved the release of two of 37 items from the Public Works and Transportation Committee executive session minutes, and kept all other items closed. (Motion by Wasick, second by Kasmin for Item 11.1; motion by Maine, second by Wasick for Item 11.2; motion by Maine, second by Wasick for Item 11.3; all unanimous.)