A Century of Progress with Pride
6700 West 26th
Street Berwyn, Illinois 60402-0701 Telephone: (708) 788-2660 Fax: (708) 788-2567 www.berwyn-il.gov
The City of Berwyn
Robert J. Lovero Mayor
December 10, 2013
Amy Walkenbach
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Watershed Management Section #15
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Dear Ms. Walkenbach:
As Mayor of the City of Berwyn, I would like to convey my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to
submit this application for the Illinois Green Infrastructure Grant Program. As mayor of a densely
populated, inner ring suburb I see firsthand the effects of an overworked combined sewer system such as
flooded basements, polluted waterways and damaged infrastructure.
In order to be part of the solution to these problems, the City of Berwyn seeks funding in the amount of
$1,445,765.17. This financial assistance will be used to initiate Berwyn’s Green Alley Program thus
responsibly reconstructing eight alleyways in Berwyn to include pervious concrete pavement. By
returning stormwater runoff to the ground, we hope to be able to reduce the likelihood of combined
sewer overflows; an occurrence that has become all too common.
Enclosed you will find two hard copies and a digital version of our proposal for green infrastructure.
Through your support of this initiative we hope to collectively address the amount of pollutants entering
the Des Plaines River watershed. Thank you for your time and consideration of our proposal. If you
have any questions about the plan, please feel free to contact me.
Respectfully,
Robert J. Lovero
Mayor
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 0712000407
Des Plaines River Watershed
Category: Combined Sewer Overflow Rehabilitation
Rivers: IL G‐39 Des Plaines River
Contact Information: Robert Schiller Public Works Director, City of Berwyn 6700 West 30th Street Berwyn, IL 60402 (708) 788.2660 [email protected]
City of Berwyn Website: http://www.berwyn‐il.gov/
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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Abstract:
The City of Berwyn requests $1,445,765.17 in grant funds through the Illinois Green
Infrastructure Grant Program (IGIG) to implement the Green Alleys Program. The total cost of
this project is $1,700,900.20. The City will provide the local match supporting 15% of the
project in the amount of $255,135.03. The proposed project involves reconstructing 8,480
square yards of alley space to include Pervious Concrete Pavement. These green alleys will
significantly increase permeability thus enabling 97% of stormwater to infiltrate into the
ground. Furthermore, the permeable pavement will filter stormwater runoff and reduce
pollutant concentrations. Through this project the City hopes to demonstrate to the public the
benefits of green infrastructure and sustainability.
Berwyn, as an urban infill community, has active Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) problems
and recognizes the environmental and health risks that are associated. The proposed Green
Alleys Program will increase the amount of permeable land and therefore allow stormwater to
matriculate into the ground naturally instead of taxing the areas combined sewer system.
1. Project Narrative:
Characterization of the Area:
The City of Berwyn is located within ten miles of the Chicago Loop, situated between the
Stevenson (I‐55) and Eisenhower (I‐290) Expressways and is in close proximity to Midway
Airport, O’Hare Airport and served by the Metra Rail line. Due to its prime location and
availability of affordable housing, the City has seen an increase in population, traffic and urban
density over the past several decades.
The City’s land area is 3.9 square miles with a growing population of 56,657 in which 72% are
over the age of 18. This equates to a population density of 14,527 per square mile; 20% higher
than that of Chicago’s.
The City’s combined sewer system is nearing 100 years old and incapable, at times, of handling
the increased capacity especially during a storm. Much of the combined sewer system was
designed to handle small one story structures when pervious green areas were much larger.
While the population and density of Berwyn has grown, the combined sewer system has
remained largely untouched. Currently the City contains only 2.0% of open space. The City’s
current stormwater management system is a combined sewer system provided by the
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), comprised of a
conveyance system nearly 100 miles in length and storm laterals totaling 19 miles. Stormwater
runoff and sewage are collected into a single pipe and ultimately discharged into the large
interceptors of the MWRDGC where it is eventually treated at their Stickney Treatment Plant.
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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The Stickney Plant has the capacity to treat 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater per day, serving a
260 square mile area with 2.5 million people. This area encompasses parts of Chicago and 43
suburban communities. Many of Berwyn’s neighboring communities which are serviced by the
Stickney Plant are also built out, land locked communities with aging infrastructure.
The City of Berwyn is located within the Des Plaines River watershed. This watershed covers
over 850,000 acres of predominately urban and industrial uses within Lake, DuPage, Cook and
Will Counties. The Illinois EPA found that only 24% of the watershed was in “good” condition.
The EPA went on to attribute the primary cause of problematic conditions to municipal point
source pollution and urban runoff. Berwyn is located near a segment of the Des Plaines River
identified as a Section 303(d) impaired water body for which sources of impairment include
CSOs and urban stormwater runoff.
Although, 66% of the watershed’s land is of an urban land use, 19% is covered by forest, 5% is
cropland and the remaining 10% is open water, wetland and grassland, much of these areas
preserved by the Forest Preserve Districts. The wildlife represented in these areas is comprised
of 263 bird species, 45 mammal species, 16 species of amphibians, 22 species of reptiles, 49
species of fish, 33 species of mussels and 18 species of dragonflies. Of the species of plants
found throughout the area, 25 species are state threatened or endangered, 4 of which are on
the federal list, and one species of dragonfly is federally endangered, making the Lower Des
Plaines River basin one of few breeding places in the country.
Planning efforts are currently underway to reduce combined sewer overflows. The MWRDGC
Tunnel and Reservoir Project (TARP) is currently underway to increase the region’s capacity to
contain and direct combined sewer flows to water reclamation plants for treatment instead of
discharging into rivers and lakes. CSO communities are also implementing long‐term control
plans and aggressive pollution prevention strategies to minimize pollutant loads entering the
combined sewer systems.
Berwyn in particular is taking a multifaceted approach to addressing CSO. The City is slowly
acquiring blighted property and constructing green space called “pocket parks.” Beyond serving
as public space, the pocket parks work to increase the permeability of the entire area. The City
is working with three large commercial development projects that will include onsite detention
of stormwater runoff. Additionally, the City actively supports a rain barrel program for its
residents in an effort to further allay runoff and in the process of updating its zoning ordinance
to allow native plantings normally found in raingardens. The City is actively pursuing additional
projects that can be implemented to reduce flooding, stormwater runoff and CSOs. The City
recently replaced a 25,580 square foot asphalt parking lot for a Park District facility with
permeable pavers. In addition, a StormTrap underground stormwater storage system was
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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installed in a park in a section of the City that experiences flooding regularly, designed to
provide 5,507 cubic feet of underground storage.
Project Need:
The City has experienced several instances of damaging flooding over the past couple of
years. The City’s combined sewers are outdated and were not originally designed to sustain the
demands of a growing urban area. The Green Alley Program is intended to provide storm sewer
relief to the City’s combined sewer system by providing detention and percolation areas in the
alleys. The City is looking to redevelop these areas using a green pavement solution as a way to
mitigate flooding concerns as well as prepare for the future. Over the past couple of years, the
City has experienced severe flooding events resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in
damage and the displacement of residents from their homes.
Berwyn’s stormwater and sanitary sewerage is conveyed to the MWRDGC interceptor system.
Most of these City collection sewers have a very limited capacity to convey stormwater runoff
due to their small size and long distances to the MWRDGC interceptor. During heavy rainfall
events, MWRDGC has been forced to close the sluices gates to their system and excess flows
are diverted into the surrounding waterways untreated.
Pervious Concrete is a highly effective on‐site stormwater management practice and
considered amongst the Best Management Practices (BMPs) of the EPA. Berwyn is hopeful that
the Green Alleys Program will reduce the volume of stormwater entering the combined sewer
system by 97%. Surface runoff entering the green alleys will infiltrate the ground rather than
end up in the combined sewer system. This initiative will also reduce pollutant loads entering
both the City system and the MWRD system and will ultimately reduce the discharging of
pollutants into the area waterways. Thus, the Green Alleys Program will help improve local
water quality in the long term.
Des Plaines River
Not Supporting Use Cause Source
Aquatic Life Fish Consumption Primary Contact
Aldrin, Arsenic, Chloride, Lindane, Mercury, Methoxychlor, Flow regime alternations, Polychlorinated biphenyls, Fecal Coliform, pH, Phosphorus (Total)
Atmospheric Deposition – Toxics, Combined Sewer Overflows, Contaminated Sediments, Impacts from Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/modification, Municipal Point Source Discharges, Unknown, Dam or Impoundment, Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
Not Supporting Use Cause Source
Fish Consumption Indigenous Aquatic Life
Iron, Oil and Grease, Oxyden – Dissolved, Polychlorinated biphenyls, Phosphorus (Total)
Combined Sewer Overflows, Impacts from Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/modification, Municipal Point Source Discharges, Unknown, Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers
The chart above indicates the number of pollutants in the surrounding waters that can be
attributed to CSOs and stormwater runoff. The capacity of the existing system is exceeded
during heavy rainfall and has been the case of flooding within the City. The City wishes to
pursue future projects to aid in stormwater management.
Project Plan:
The City of Berwyn proposes to utilize IGIG funds to initiate the Green Alleys Program and
reconstruct eight (8) concrete alleys totaling 8,480 square yards. The proposed green alley will
have an alley section that is sloped to a center section composed of pervious concrete above an
aggregate base. The total pervious concrete area for this project will be 2,200 square yards.
The locations are as follows:
1. Alley 13th Street to 14th Street – Oak Park to Euclid Avenues
2. Alley 18th Street to 19th Street – Wisconsin to Wenonah Avenues
3. Alley 18th Street to 19th Street – Wesley to Clarence Avenues
4. Alley 19th Street to 21st Street – Harvey to Lombard Avenues
5. Alley 23rd Street to 24th Street – Euclid to Wesley Avenues
6. Alley 29th Street to 30th Street – Harlem to Maple Avenues
7. Alley 37th Street to 38th Street – Grove to Oak Park Avenues
8. Alley 37th Street to 38th Street – Cuyler to Highland Avenues
Project Components:
The project will consist of existing alley pavement removal, earth excavation, installation of the
aggregate base courses, geotechnical fabric, and installation of a concrete with pervious
concrete alley. The construction of the 8 alleys will take approximately 3 months to complete.
Berwyn will begin implementation upon notification that this application has been approved for
IGIG funding. The key project components are:
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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1. Design/Engineering Phase: The City Engineer will prepare the specifications and plans
for the construction work of the alleys. The ten (10) year Operations and Maintenance
Plan will be developed during this phase.
2. Public Bidding: The construction bid notice will be released.
3. Bid Opening/Contract Awarded: Proposals will be opened and evaluated, and the
contract will be awarded to the successful bidder.
4. Construction Phase: Once the subcontract has been approved by the IEPA, construction
of both projects will commence.
5. Project Completion/Operations and Maintenance Plan.
Project Plan Summary:
Timeline Project Components/Tasks Deliverables
Performance Measures
Months 1‐4 Design/Engineering; Submission of plans to IEPA for Approval
Completed contract plans & specifications Complete Operations & Maintenance Plan
Construction plans approved
Months 5‐6 Public Bidding/Bid OpeningConstruction bid notices released; Bids opened and evaluated
Contract awarded and executed
Months 6‐7 Request approval of subcontract by IEPA
Subcontract submitted to IEPA
Subcontract approved
Months 7‐10 Construction of green alleys
Project Completed Final project report/ documentation complete
The project is designed in such a way that the total project, from grant award to final payment,
would be accomplished in less than a year.
Partnering:
Berwyn will work closely with the IEPA in initiating this project, but will not need to partner
with any other agencies to implement the project. Berwyn will however work with residents
and businesses to not only make them aware of the project but to also educate them about the
benefits of green infrastructure projects.
2. Project Budget:
The total cost of this project is $1,700,900.20. The City of Berwyn seeks funding in the amount
of $1,445,765.17 (85%) from the IGIG program. The City will provide a 15% local match totaling
$255,135.03.
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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Cost Summary for the Green Alleys Program:
Description Estimated Cost
Design / Engineering $90,018.40
Construction $1,543,368.00
Construction Oversight $67,513.80
Subtotal $1,700,900.20
IGIG Assistance Amount (85%) $1,445,765.17
City of Berwyn Funding (15%) $255,135.03
Green Alleys Program Detailed Cost Estimate:
Anticipated Outputs:
The City of Berwyn will replace 8 asphalt alleys with 8 alleys that will slope to a center pervious
concrete center section totaling 2,200 square yards over an aggregate base.
City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program
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Anticipated Outcomes:
The City of Berwyn Green Alleys Program will result in:
1. The reduction of surface runoff volume by 97% in the project area.
2. The reduction of the phosphorus pollutant load by 2.4 lb/yr (65%).
3. The reduction of the nitrogen pollutant load by 12.0 lb/yr (58%).
4. The reduction of the amount of sediment found in runoff by 0.42 tons/yr (90%).
Programmatic Capability/Technical Experience:
The City of Berwyn has all of the necessary experience and qualifications to undertake the
proposed green infrastructure projects. Berwyn has a long history of successfully implementing
infrastructure projects. The City’s Public Works Director, Robert Schiller, will oversee the
projects and ensure that all project components are completed as proposed. John Fitzgerald,
the City’s Engineer, will be responsible for the design phase and preparation of construction
plans and specifications. John is a Professional Engineer and Vice President for the City’s
Consulting Civil Engineering Firm; Frank Novotny & Associates, Inc. Frank Novotny & Associates
has successfully performed municipal consulting engineering services for the City of Berwyn
since 1965. John brings a well‐rounded balance of specialized technical expertise to the City of
Berwyn. Along with a team of engineers, technicians and field personnel, John designs, bids and
oversees the following types of improvements:
Street Paving & Rehabilitation
Water Mains, Distribution Systems & Pumping Stations
Sanitary Sewer Extension & Collection Systems
Stormwater Drainage, Detention, Management & Hydraulic Studies
Roadway Lighting & Traffic Control Systems
Subdivision Plan Review & Inspection of Improvements
Commercial Area Redevelopment
Sidewalk, Pathway & Bikeway Systems Planning & Design
Parking Lot Facilities and Green Parking Lots
John has been with Frank Novotny & Associates since 1987, after receiving his B.S. in Civil
Engineering from Marquette University.
Illinois Green Infrastructure Grant Program for Stormwater Management (IGIG)Attachment 1
Page 1 of 2September 15th, 2010
Project Name:
Yes No NA Priority Criteria Detailed Information X 1 High
X2 High
High Reduces pollutant load amount reduced2.4 lb/yr (65%)12.0 lb/yr (58%)0.42 tons/yr (90%)97% volume reduction
Flow reduction = 97% volume reduction
Name(s) and Assessment Unit IDs of lake and stream: Des Plaines River Watershed712000407Des Plaines River, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
Name(s) of source water:
5
Med
City of Berwyn Green Alleys ProjectApplicant:Date:
City of Berwyn13-Dec-13
Preserves, restores or enhances the natural hydrology of the area
High
High Significantly reduces the volume of runoff from the site that enters the stormwater collection and conveyance system byincreasing infiltration of stormwater into site soils or using vegetation to intercept, take up and evapotranspire stormwater orcapturing stormwater for reuse. Reduces volume of stormwater entering a combined sewer system. Eliminates or reducesuntreated stormwater runoff.
Project is within the drainage area of a Section 303(d) identified impaired water, a 305(b) assessed waterbody not meetingfull use support or a completed TMDL watershed
Improves water quality of a local source of drinking water. Site is located within a delineated source water protection area(groundwater)
Water Quality
X
4
X
Reduces existing impervious surfaces or otherwise increases the effective permeability of existing impervious surfaces at thesite or is located on land with permeability reduced due to pre-existing development (e.g., buildings, paved surfaces andcompacted soils)
X
X
6
Total Phosphorus (lbs) =Nitrogen (lbs) =
Sediment (tons)=Flow reduction =
Other (name and amount) =
3
Instructions: Step 1 - Complete Project Name, Applicant and Date. Step 2 - Check "Yes", "No" or "NA" (not applicable) on the left side of each criteria listed to identify if the project addresses that consideration. Step 3 - Provide detailed information, as requested, on the right side. Add lines as necessary. Step 4 - Submit this form with your IGIG Application to Illinois EPA
Illinois Green Infrastructure Grant Program for Stormwater Management (IGIG)Attachment 1
Page 2 of 2September 15th, 2010
Yes No NA Priority Criteria Detailed Information
Citation:High Approved Long Term Control Plan (CSO Communties)High Stormwater Management Plan Under developmentHigh Stormwater Regulation or Ordinance Follow MWRD criteriaHigh Regional Water Supply Plan IDNR Lake Michigan Water Allocation ProgramHigh Watershed Based Plan Lower Des Plaines River Watershed Management PlanMed Local Comprehensive Plan Yes, adopted 10/23/12Low Conservation PlanLow Water Quality Management Plan
X 8 Low
Documentation:X 10 Low
X 11 LowX 12 Low
X 13 LowX 14 Low
X 15 Low
Yes No NA Priority Criteria Detailed Information
Citation:X 17 High
X 18 Med
X 19 Low
X16 High
9 LowX
The community has adopted a dedicated revenue source for green infrastructure stormwater management practices andtheir long term maintenance
7
Reduces consumption of potable, treated water
Implements and is Consistant with Regulations, Permits and Plans
Sustainability and Other Policy Priorities
Directly addesses noncompliance issue, whether or not enforcement action has been taken
Uses low impact construction technology to minimize impact on the environmentThe community has adopted an integrated resource plan, including demand-side management, for water supply, waste waterand stormwater.
Integral part of a solution to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) documented flood problem
Creates, preserves or restores terrestrial wildlife habitatCreates, preserves or restores recreational open spaceReduces heat island effectProvides education oportunities (note - education components are not eligible for reimbursement or as match)Generates performance data (note - data collection components are not eligible for reimbursement or as match)
The applicant or its partner have a dedicated source of funds for long term maintenance for the proposed project
Identified as a recommended action to improve water quality in a:
X