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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Ian Wade, Capital Projects Manager
DATE: February 9, 2026
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the execution of an Engineering Services contract with Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora in an amount not to exceed $168,890 to design a sound wall to replace the existing wooden fence along Orchard Road.
PURPOSE:
To authorize the execution of an Engineering Services contract with Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora in an amount not to exceed $168,890 to design a sound wall to replace the existing wooden fence along Orchard Road.
BACKGROUND:
On November 10, 1992, the City and Kane County entered into an Amended Memorandum of Agreement concerning joint construction of the Kane County Highway No. 83 (Orchard Road). This agreement, which superseded "certain Agreements pertaining to this subject dated January 15, 1974 and April 15, 1985" and is attached as "Exhibit A", was approved by the City of Aurora via Resolution R92-499 on December 1, 1992.
As part of the widening of Orchard Road in 2004, the County, at the City's request, included the construction of approximately 63,300 square feet of wooden privacy fence at various locations between Indian Trail and Prairie Street as shown on the attached map ("Exhibit B"). The City has been responsible for ongoing maintenance of the fence as required per the 1992 Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), making annual repairs including the replacement of broken and/or deteriorated planks and posts. Both the City and County, however, believe that those repairs are no longer sufficient, as continued normal wear and tear and natural deterioration have caused the fence to approach the end of its useful and serviceable life. Considering the recurring maintenance and safety concerns with the wooden fence and considerably increased noise levels in the corridor which have generated persistent complaints from adjacent residences, the City is looking to design a replacement for the wall which demonstrates considerably better durability and noise reducing characteristics through noise abatement-specific design analysis and use of alternative materials (such as concrete or vinyl).
Over the past decade, City Administration and Alderman Carl Franco have actively sought outside funding assistance to help cover as much of the cost of replacing the fence as possible. These efforts have resulted in securing $800,000 from three separate grants from the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) which will be combined with $645,000 in accumulated Ward Funds to be contributed by Alderman Franco. Additional funding for construction will include at least $1,018,000 from Kane County in accordance with the update to the IGA, and potential contributions from 74 adjacent homeowners through a Special Services Agreement (SSA) to be proposed later this year.
DISCUSSION:
In order to initiate the final analysis and design of the wall, the City published a Request for Qualifications ("Exhibit C") in September 2025 and received responses from two firms. Based on a review of the qualifications submitted, City Staff selected Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora as the preferred design firm (see attached qualifications submittal ("Exhibit D") and scoring summary ("Exhibit E")). Following a preliminary meeting and negotiations with Thomas to discuss our expectations and scope, the attached cost estimate was provided in the amount of $168,890 ("Exhibit F").
The $168,890 for Engineering Services will be paid using accounts 315-4060-431.73-99 and 340-4060-431.73-99 (CIP GB128), which have current balances of $600,000 and $8,859,200 respectively.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Replacement of the existing fence with a sound wall will provide significant improvements in noise reduction, safety, and appearance for not only the 74 owners directly impacted, but all users of Orchard Road. Further, replacing the wooden fence with a concrete wall which has a service life of over 50 years will mostly eliminate the need to provide recurring repairs and maintenance to the fence, which have averaged approximately $8,000 per year.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request the proposed resolution be adopted.
cc: Infrastructure & Technology Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing the execution of an Engineering Services contract with Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora in an amount not to exceed $168,890 to design a sound wall to replace the existing wooden fence along Orchard Road.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the wooden fence constructed along portions of Orchard Road in 2004 has reached the end of its useful and serviceable life; and
WHEREAS, the City and County partnered to draft a new Intergovernmental Agreement to address cost sharing for the replacement/upgrade of the fence to a wall with better safety and noise abatement attributes; and
WHEREAS, the City published a Request for Qualifications to design a replacement sound wall and, following a review of the two responses submitted, selected Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora as the preferred design firm; and
WHEREAS, Thomas subsequently provided a cost proposal for Engineering Services in the amount of $168,890, which will be paid using accounts 315-4060-431.73-99 and 340-4060-431.73-99 (CIP GB128), which have current balances of $600,000 and $8,859,200, respectively; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the Director of Purchasing is authorized to execute an Engineering Services contract with Thomas Engineering Group, LLC of Aurora in an amount not to exceed $168,890 to design a sound wall to replace the existing wooden fence along Orchard Road.