Roundabout at North Main Street and Cary-Algonquin Road among capital projects slated for fiscal 2021-22 in Algonquin

A roundabout at North Main Street and Cary-Algonquin Road, new bike paths and replacement tennis courts are among about $34.26 million in capital projects proposed for the village of Algonquin’s upcoming budget year.

The list of proposed projects is set to be approved as part of the village‘s budget. Last Tuesday marked the first of three budget workshops the Village Board plans on having before it votes.

Many of the projects originated from long term plans, operating maintenance assessments and engineering studies, Mike Kumbera, assistant village manager, said at a meeting of the village’s Committee of the Whole last week.

Over the past five years, he said, spending on capital infrastructure has been very aggressive.

“Algonquin residents do value infrastructure, according to our annual survey,” Kumbera told trustees. “All the infrastructure-related questions that we asked rank in a top tier of importance to Algonquin residents, which is why the capital funds play such a critical role in providing value to the community.”

In past years, the village had four primary capital funds in its budget, including its water sewer improvement and construction fund, the motor fuel tax fund, a street improvement fund and the park improvement fund.

This year, Algonquin developed a new natural areas and drainage improvement fund.

Each of these funds has numerous projects with money allocated to them.

In the street improvement fund, projects include the creation of a modern roundabout at the intersection of North Main Street and Cary-Algonquin Road; the reduction of overall vehicular pavement on North Main Street; the installation of an off-pavement bike path on North Main Street to Riverview Lane; and an on-pavement bike lanes down Park Street and North Harrison Street.

Streetscape improvements along North and South Harrison streets with brick pavers and speed tables also are in the budget, to be funded through several grants and funding from McHenry County.

In conjunction with Algonquin’s downtown streetscape project, about $500,000 is earmarked to finish replacing the Main Street Bridge over Crystal Creek.

Several projects are scheduled to improve Algonquin’s parklands. According to village documents, recreational improvements built during the parks’ growth years have been substantial and require systematic maintenance.

Because of the age and condition of the Gaslight Park tennis courts, they are being completely removed and replaced.

Stoneybrook Park improvements, which began last fiscal year, are getting $300,000 in rollover costs to complete the project.

In 2019, the village began creating a comprehensive parks and recreation master plan to help drive its decision-making over the next 10 years.

Kumbera said the Village Board should see a draft of this parks and recreation master plan within the next month.