Lake County Public Works and Transportation Committee Meeting - June 3, 2026

The Lake County Public Works and Transportation Committee met on June 3, 2026, at 8:30 AM in a hybrid format. The meeting included a consent agenda, updates from the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), a public hearing for a Special Service Area (SSA) in the Delmar Wood subdivision, approval of multiple contracts and resolutions, and the presentation of the 2026-2031 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The committee approved all action items unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Item 8.1: The consent agenda was approved by voice vote (motion by Kasbin, second by Hunter).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting, either in person or online.

Discussion Items

• Item 8.2 – RTA Quarterly Update: Zach Braun (RTA Government Affairs) reported on the NETA Act and People Over Parking Act, both effective June 1, 2026. Key points:
  • The RTA board approved a quarter-percent increase in the regional sales tax, effective August 1, 2026, projected to generate nearly $200 million in 2026 and over $500 million annually by 2027.
  • $60 million has been invested in safety and security improvements, including sworn police officers on transit vehicles and stations.
  • Starting May 1, 2026, ADA paratransit riders enrolled in the Ride Share Access Program or Taxi Access Program can increase their monthly ride cap from 30 to 40 rides per month via the FAIR portal.
  • Member Wasick asked whether the new sales tax could be used for road projects; Braun confirmed it is separate from existing RTA sales tax funds.
• Item 8.3 – Public Hearing for Delmar Wood SSA: Steve Rice (State’s Attorney’s Office) conducted the hearing. He noted that previous outreach meetings were held in the Delmar area and that all statutory notice requirements were met. No objections or comments were received from the public. The hearing was opened and closed by voice vote (motion to open by Hunter, second by Kasbin; motion to close by Kasbin, second by Hewitt). Discussion included the location and timing of hearings, with committee members acknowledging that future hearings might need to be held in the affected community for convenience.
• Item 8.4 – Gerwal Wellhouse Improvements: Public Works Director Austin McFarlane presented a contract with Bowler Construction Company Inc. ($538,600) to upgrade the wellhouse, including interior improvements and a new foundation. The project is ARPA-funded and part of a broader water system improvement. The contract was approved (motion by Kasbin, second by Hunter).
• Item 8.5 – Ela Salem Lake Sanitary Sewer Cleaning and Televising: A contract with Horror Construction Inc. ($40,710) to inspect a sewer pipe after a collapse earlier in 2026. The inspection will determine if further repairs are needed. Approved (motion by Kasbin, second by Hunter).
• Item 8.6 – Deerfield Road Improvement Project (Public Works portion): A letter of intent and concurrence with Lake County DOT for pipe relocations and lift station upgrades, with an emergency appropriation of $1,839,076 from public works reserves. The total project cost is $7,356,304, to be paid over four years. Approved (motion by Hewitt, second by Hunter).
• Item 8.7 – Deerfield Road Improvement Project (DOT portion): An agreement with IDOT for federal highway funds ($29 million federal, $22 million local share) for constructing improvements from Illinois Route 21 to Saunders Road. The project will convert the two-lane road to a three-lane urban section with a center turn lane, bike path, and traffic signal upgrades. Total project cost is approximately $70 million. Approved (motion by Maine, second by Hunter).
• Items 8.8–8.11 – Related Deerfield Road agreements and engineering contracts:
  • 8.8: Agreement with the Village of Buffalo Grove for improvements.
  • 8.9: Ordinance for right-of-way conveyance and agreement with Riverwoods.
  • 8.10: Supplemental appropriation of $1,450,000 in motor fuel tax funds and change order number three ($1,126,975) for phase two engineering with Christopher B. Burke Engineering.
  • 8.11: Agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering for phase three construction engineering services (maximum $4,457,000) and appropriation of $5,350,000 from quarter-percent sales tax funds.
  • All approved together by voice vote (motion by Maine, second by Hunter).
• Item 8.12 – ITS Passage Phase 2 Design: Contract with DLZ Illinois Inc. ($1,334,000) to upgrade intelligent transportation system infrastructure, including fiber optic conduit improvements and new flood-monitoring cameras. Appropriation of $160,500 from quarter-percent sales tax funds. Approved (motion by Hewitt, second by Hunter).
• Item 8.13 – 2026-2031 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Director Shane Schneider presented the annual update. The five-year program totals $950 million in projects, with revenue from five local sources: county bridge/matching tax, RTA sales tax (45% of program), motor fuel tax (21%), county option motor fuel tax (12%), and others. Key highlights:
  • Over the last five years, transportation construction costs have increased 40–67% nationally; Lake County estimates a 40–50% increase.
  • The plan includes $153 million for non-motorized facilities (62.5 miles of new bike paths, 29 miles of new sidewalk).
  • New projects include the Kelsey Road bridge, Lake Avenue bridge, Delaney Road corridor, Cuba Road shared-use path, and Sand Lake Road to Stearns School Road path.
  • Non-motorized projects total 119 miles of new active transportation.
  • The Hunt Club Road/Stearns School Road roundabout (first multi-lane roundabout in the county) is in design.
  • The Old McHenry crossing ($150 million, $40 million funding gap) and Cedar Lake Road realignment ($19 million in RAISE grants) were highlighted.
  • The TIP will be formally presented for adoption at the July 8, 2026, committee meeting (corrected from June 24/25 due to the July 4 holiday).

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda and all resolutions (8.1 through 8.12) were approved unanimously by voice vote.
• The public hearing for the Delmar Wood SSA concluded without objections; the committee determined no changes were needed.
• The 2026-2031 TIP was presented for review and will be brought back for adoption on July 8, 2026.
• Member Wasick suggested preparing district-specific project maps for newsletters; staff agreed to explore options.
• Discussion of bonding for major projects (e.g., Old McHenry crossing) to accelerate construction and mitigate cost inflation was encouraged; staff will investigate with the finance team.
• The next committee meeting is scheduled for July 8, 2026 (following cancellation of the June 24/25 meetings due to the July 4 holiday).