title
EASEMENT REQUEST
Request: Requesting authorization for the Forest Preserves of Cook County (the “Forest Preserves”) to grant a permanent and temporary easement to Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) at intersection of 95th Street and Archer Avenue near Willow Springs for an area not to exceed 7.462 acres for permanent easements and 1.459 acres for temporary easements or 325,045 square feet for permanent easements and 63,552 square feet for temporary easements. Construction would impact two hundred seven (207) living trees and fifty-four (54) dead trees, resulting in tree mitigation fees. In practice, more trees may need to be removed than originally estimated. Any increase in the tree mitigation fee will be in accordance with the Tree Mitigation Plan (see Board Item No. 20-0279), and if such increase is more than 20% of the original estimate, then approval will be sought from the Forest Preserves of Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Reason: IDOT has identified this intersection as a high percentage crash location due to the original 1926 design and plans to modify the current “Y” intersection to a “T” intersection with a traffic signal.
A retaining wall on the Northwest side of Archer Avenue and newly shaped earthen slopes will be graded on Forest Preserves land along the southeast side of Archer Avenue and north and south side of 95th Street and the roadways will be reconfigured.
While IDOT has requested permanent easements totaling 0.962 acres, the Forest Preserves staff recommends the granting and recording of up to 7.462 acres of total permanent easements to IDOT in order to include up to 6.5 acres in existing right-of-way areas within the project improvement limits. The Forest Preserves’ wishes to confirm IDOT responsibility for those areas at no additional cost to IDOT and forgo fees that might otherwise be due pursuant to Section 2-5-7 (Easements) of the Forest Preserves Code of Ordinances. The waiver of additional easement fees will be in consideration of the benefits of the improvement project to the Forest Preserves, including public safety and aesthetic value of the current design plans. The Forest Preserves’ granting of the permanent easements for this project is contingent upon IDOT’s acceptance of all permanent easement area pertaining to this intersection, up to 7.462 acres.
The area for the permanent easement is a maximum of 7.462 acres (0.962 acres requested outside the current right-of-way plus up to 6.5 acres within the current right-of-way) and for temporary easements is 1.459 acres. IDOT indicates that two hundred sixty-one (261) trees are expected to be removed for this project.
Easement Fee: $18,900.00 for permanent easements and $17,200.00 for temporary easements.
Tree Mitigation Fee: $1,511,403.11
Concurrence(s): The Chief Financial Officer has approved this item. Final easement is subject to legal review and approval.
District(s): 17
end