Dolton residents press village leaders for faster street repairs as milling begins

Dozens of Dolton residents used the Nov. 3 public-comment period to press elected officials to repair long-neglected streets and address increased speeding after a nearby bridge closure.

"It's time," said Angela Willis, a 30-year Dolton resident, describing deep potholes on 150th blocks and Minerva that she said have been patched but not repaved. "I can't even get from my house on 150 Seventh down to 150 Fourth without my car falling into a hole." She asked the village to remove and replace the top layer rather than continue temporary patches.

Resident Jacqueline Lyda and a younger resident who lives on Blackstone Avenue asked trustees to consider speed bumps after the bridge closure shifted traffic onto neighborhood streets. Chief of Police Chapman said the department would prioritize increased visibility and enforcement in the area.

Village Engineer Smith told the board that surface milling and paving work was scheduled for the week of Nov. 3. "We will be placing about an inch of leveling binder and one-and-a-half inches of hot-mix asphalt surface," Smith said, and added that crews will remove and replace concrete curb and gutter and perform full-depth patching on priority streets.

Smith also described a $400,000 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) project that recently conducted smoke testing and will fund sewer cleaning, lining, televising and a concept plan that could include a detention pond and piping to reduce flooding between 150th Fourth Place and Greenwood Road.

Trustee Steve read the public works report, listing 16 concrete repairs, seven sign repairs, routine street sweeping and water-main work. The report reminded residents to submit meter readings online to reduce estimated bills and noted that brown yard-waste bag pickup ends Nov. 30.

Mayor acknowledged the concerns and said the village had resurfaced 12 blocks to date but that an estimated 47 streets still need full resurfacing. "We are rating those streets worst to best and will proceed as funds become available," the mayor said, urging patience while promising continued progress and responsive follow-up.

Residents who raised specific locations were told village staff would follow up: Superintendent Bunches took notes on missing signage and damaged property, and staff offered to meet with callers to confirm addresses and schedules for work.

The board did not vote on additional funding for immediate resurfacing at the meeting; engineering and public-works updates described near-term milling and paving operations and a longer-term prioritization plan.