Village Contracts Green Tree Road Reconstruction For More Than $850,000

In an effort to improve Green Tree Road, the village is pumping more than $850,000 into a comprehensive project that will replace parts of the storm sewer and water main, reconstruct the road, and add a pedestrian path.

The work will be done by Reeseman's Excavating & Grading from Burlington, and the money will be spent as follows:

• $257,810 to reconstruct the road
• $321,907 to replace the water main
• $270,297 to replace portions of the storm sewer
• $14,830 to replace water main valves

An additional $9,750 is allocated to replace the pedestrian path between Quarles Place and Links Way. Public Works Director Scott Brandmeier said he believes Glendale will make an adjoining path.

Village board members also had to decide Tuesday whether to take the opportunity to widen the sewer pipes under Green Tree Road as a means of alleviating flooding in the area.

"I thought I’d be remiss not discussing increasing the pipe sizes while we have the road ripped open," Brandmeier said, though he did not recommend this action.

The Green Tree Road area drains about 102 acres of land, including part of , and discharges to the Bridge Lane ravine, which runs into Lake Michigan.

Previous village studies have concluded the best way to address flooding in the area would be to create a detention basin on Cardinal Stritch University property, rather than widening the sewage pipes. Based on this research, village board members voted against widening the pipes for an extra $77,811.

"I don’t see a clear justification for spending the money," Trustee Eric Fonstad said.

However, the board did decide to allocate about $79,000 for Kapur & Associates (who prepared the contract documents), to inspect the project as it proceeds. Trustee F. R. Dengel questioned whether it was worth the money to hire someone "to watch someone else work," but he voted for the measure after some discussion, and it passed unanimously. 

"People make mistakes," Village Board President Michael West explained. "This is a separate set of eyes, and we have the assurance then of a third party that the work has been done according to specifications."

Brandmeier said he would send out letters in the next week to homeowners and businesses who will be affected by the construction.