(Above) A recent photo supplied by Alderman Reilly’s office of the curb at Clark & Kinzie. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

January 18, 2014 – 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly calls it “a four month project” but it took years to fix a hazardous and well-traveled curb at the intersection of North Clark Street and West Kinzie Street.

In his weekly newsletter on Friday, Reilly announced repair of the southwest corner of the intersection, which he called “problematic.” Pedestrians had to climb two steep steps to reach the curb and in the modern era of curbs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, hundreds of people complained. The city said because electrical equipment was located below the sidewalk, it was Commonwealth Edison’s problem. ComEd said it was the city’s problem.

Finally, with money at his discretion, Reilly was able to get a new curb installed. Each year, the city allocates about $1.3 million to each of Chicago’s 50 wards. The money can be spent on any infrastructure need, such as repair and upgrade of streets, sidewalks, and curbs.

Reilly did not specify how much the project actually cost. In 2009, the Chicago Department of Transportation estimated that repair of the sidewalk would cost at least $100,000. (Left) The curb leading to Kinzie Street in 2009.

Steps that were likely built when nearby 350 North Clark was built in 1912 were demolished. Instead of lowering the sidewalk, challenging because of the electrical equipment, the street was filled in to reach the sidewalk. According to Reilly, the curb, now one rounded curb instead of two distinct curbs, is ADA compliant.

Explains the alderman, “Many different engineers and specialists were needed to perform the project and the design involved structural inspections, vault surveys, topographic surveys, research into the history of [350 North Clark’s] construction and foundation, ADA ramp design, traffic control, and coordination with ComEd.”

City first studied the curb four years ago

Reilly initially asked CDOT to survey the corner in October 2009. That is when they handed it off to ComEd. On March 16, 2010, Reilly told constituents ComEd was aware of the steep curbs and the project had been “prioritized.” At that time he expected work to be completed in early spring 2010.

That got pushed back to August 2010. Then in September 2011, ComEd said in a statement to Loop North News that it “is not responsible for any repairs of the sidewalk or curbs.”

 Previous story: River North curbs still hazardous with repair project in limbo