Orland Contractor's Road Work Threatened Wetlands: Authorities

ORLAND PARK, IL — A contractor for Orland Park's $5 million roads-improvement project is under investigation by a government regulatory agency for failing to properly protect wetlands near a construction site from contaminated storm run off.

Austin-Tyler Construction of Elwood had been storing large piles of crushed asphalt in a lot at 9401 W. 143rd Street, but did not properly cover four storm drains in the area, an investigation by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District found.

The catch basins, as they are known, discharge about 200 feet south of the intersection at 143rd Street and Humphrey Drive into the wetlands on the east side of Humphrey. Without proper filters, the runoff had the potential to contaminate the wetlands there, said Allison Fore, a spokeswoman for the agency said.

An inspector discovered the infraction Wednesday at about 4:15 p.m. after a resident filed a complaint with the water reclamation district, she said. Austin-Tyler has been instructed to place filters over the storm drains.

Representatives from Austin-Tyler and from the village have no yet responded to repeated requests for comment.

Fore , however, added that the agency is working with the village to ensure that the filters over the storm drains are installed. The investigation, she said, is ongoing.

Austin-Tyler was awarded the roads improvement contract last month in an amended contract village officials approved after they discovered that they had improperly given the company an agreement that violated change-order laws.

The roads and sidewalks that will be repaired and resurfaced under the Austin-Tyler's contract include those at Park Hill, Brentwood, and Ravinia Avenue between 143rd Street to 144th Place; the south side of 135th Street between 88th Avenue and St. Mary's Circle; and a sidewalk at the Orland Park Health and Fitness Center.

It also include:Brentwood (the north half); Arbor Pointe (including Grandview Drive); Golfview Condos (Brassie, Foxbend, Deerfield, and Sunset Ridge Courts); Persimmon Ridge/Persimmon Glen/Persimmon Meadows/Ashford Estates; Seton Place; and Tee Brook Villa.

The Humphrey Drive wetlands are part of the Orland Park Open Lands initiative. At least one endangered species, the Hine's Emerald dragonfly, lives in the area.