DARIEN, IL – The state has stopped work on a project on North and South Frontage roads in Darien until next spring, creating traffic issues, officials said Monday.
The project is between Cass Avenue and Clarendon Hills Road.
The road closure has caused more traffic on 79th Street, which is the detour, officials said.
“Nothing is being done, but the roadway is still being closed,” Alderwoman Mary Sullivan said at Monday’s City Council meeting.
Workers encountered two unexpected things in the path of the project – a gas main and a fiber optic cable, said Dan Gombac, the city’s municipal services director.
“Unfortunately, no one knows whose fiber optic cable it is,” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s only one way to find out, but I’m not sure if that’s condoned. That’s a very difficult decision.”
He was referring to the option of cutting the line and finding out who reacts to the lack of a connection.
Officials said the work involves not only street resurfacing, but a sewer line that goes underneath Interstate 55 to the other side.
Gombac said that in his experience, the project could move forward. He said he has written two local state lawmakers about the issue.
In an email to Patch on Tuesday, Gombac said the city has a good relationship with Nicor, the area’s gas utility, in relocating mains.
“Regarding the fiber optic cable there are opportunities to canvas the area for who may be utilizing such a cable,” Gombac said. “More than likely it may be routed to such facilities as Argonne National Laboratory. In addition, typically there are identification markers installed at various intervals with contact information.”
The fiber optic network, he said, should have been on the JULIE system for locates.
“In our experience on excavations, we run across unmarked cables and typically are abandoned and yes we excavate through some due to no markings,” he said in the email. “Finally, (the Illinois Department of Transportation) should have permits on file for the installation of any type of cables or infrastructure work within their Right of Ways.”
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