Kankakee Times

The Village of Bourbonnais Public Works Committee held its regular meeting Sept. 30.

The primary object of discussion was the barricades placed on Oak Street. The barricades were put up during resurfacing work, taken down, then put back up, leaving many wondering why access has been restricted to the road if the surfacing project is finished.

Chief St. Louis asked officials to remove the barricades so emergency vehicles could use the road to have the best access to houses living along that route.

Village officials said the road was resurfaced in a way that helps maintain the road but does not support regular traffic, which would create potholes and other breaks in the road. The village paid $25,000 for this particular type of surfacing.

St. Louis -- along with a few committee members -- proposed closing access to the road at Sportsmans Club Road or Barrington instead of leaving the barricades up. The change would keep regular traffic off the road but would leave the route open to emergency personnel.

Committee members also indicated that they would be interested in having the road resurfaced in a way that would allow it to be driven on if the village could find a way to afford it.

After several citizens echoed their concerns about the road and barriers, Village President Schore said the surface the village chose was only laid to help crews plow the road, which had previously been a private gravel road. The total cost of laying a fully functional road was estimated at $175,000 to $200,000, which the village cannot afford.

In the end, the committee agreed to temporarily take down the barriers and monitor how the road handles winter conditions. The village will also add stop signs, a meter counter and maintain police patrol presence in the area.