FAQs

Why are you replacing the water and sewer lines?: A number of the water and sewer lines located under these roads are very old and have surpassed their useful life. Old sewer and water lines can lead to water main breaks and other issues. Replacement of these lines during road construction will save taxpayers money rather than replacing the lines at a later date.

Road to Better Roads Program

1. What is the Road to Better Roads?: Road to Better Roads is the city road rehabilitation program designed to improve the overall quality of Yorkville’s road infrastructure. The ongoing program will result in roads with improved pavement quality and a prolonged lifespan. This program is primarily funded through a road infrastructure fee. All funds collected through the road infrastructure fee will go directly to the Road to Better Roads program. This program also addresses a number of growing water and sewer infrastructure issues by replacing aged water and sewer lines.

2. Which roads will be repaired under the Road to Better Roads Program?: The specific roads which will receive major attention are outlined in the documents below on this webpage and will change each year based on staff recommendations and City Council approval. However, all city roads are included in the ongoing program and will still receive preventative treatment as needed each year.

3. How do you determine which roads to include in the Road to Better Roads Program?: Each year our engineering consultants reevaluate the current 5-Year Plan to come up with a list of recommended roads for the next five years. Furthermore on a yearly basis, City Council approves the program and work to be completed as a part of the City’s budget. In order to give the City the biggest value for the Road to Better Roads program budget, recommendations are based on replacing the streets during the point in their lifespan in which the City will get the most value as well as current road conditions.

4. Is everything in the Road to Better Roads program set in stone?: No, everything is not set in stone. The program is used as a guide and is subject to change, based on the yearly analysis of roadway conditions and City Council priorities. Technical software used in the road analysis is designed to take into account the projects that have been completed each year and an assumption of general wear and tear on the roads. This results in some roads moving forward or backward in the schedule each year, based on staff-level analysis of the software data. Each year, the City Council will review staff recommendations and endorse a 5-year rolling schedule.

5. How will I know in advance when my street is being worked on?: Prior to construction, a letter will be sent out to all residents who live on a road where improvements are scheduled. The letter will provide information on street improvements and an estimated time frame when the work will take place. The construction schedule will also be announced in utility bill handouts, press releases, and the Facebook page and Twitter account of the city.

6. My street isn’t on the 5-year schedule but it looks really awful. Shouldn’t you fix it?: Streets in the 5-year plan were based on a detailed engineering analysis of every street and comparing it to the cost of repairing the street at various points throughout its lifespan, then selecting the streets that give the City the best value. The more value we get each year, the more roads we can do and the sooner we can do them. So your road will be fixed at the point in its lifespan when the City gets great value out of the money used to fix your road.

7. My street isn’t in the 5-year program, so why should I pay the road infrastructure fee?: The road infrastructure fee allows us to fix roads throughout the city. Even though your street might not be on the major rehabilitation schedule, we do include an amount for general maintenance each year. This general maintenance budget may include crack filling, micro-surfacing, and other pavement treatments designed to lengthen the lifespan of the street. It is possible that your street will receive preventative maintenance measures in the next 5 years. Remember, our technical software tells us when to do major rehabilitation on a street for the biggest value for our money.

8. Will you be making other improvements during the road rehabilitation?: Yes, other improvements will be made. As the budget allows, the city will fund sewer main, water main, sidewalk, storm sewer, and curb improvements. Replacements or improvements to utilities will occur as each is impacted by construction work.

9. Why are you replacing the water and sewer lines?: A number of the water and sewer lines located under these roads are very old and have surpassed their useful life. Old sewer and water lines can lead to water main breaks and other issues. Replacement of these lines during road construction will save taxpayers money rather than replacing the lines at a later date.

10. Will the road infrastructure fee go away?: The purpose of the road infrastructure fee is to fund maintenance and rehabilitation of a number of the roads in the city. Each year staff will revisit the necessity of the fee and make a recommendation to City Council to reinstate it or remove it.

11. Who should I contact with comments or concerns?: If you have a comment or concern please feel free to call City Hall at 630-553-4350 and your call will be directed to the appropriate individual.