Blame La Grange Highlands? Not So Fast

Western Springs IL

02 April, 2021

4:25 PM

Description

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — A neighborhood that sees some of Western Springs' worst flooding points to next-door La Grange Highlands as a source of the problem. That's according to resident input during an engineering study for the Springdale neighborhood in the southeast corner of town. The study, done by Rosemont-based Christopher Burke Engineering, confirmed La Grange Highlands adds to runoff to the village's undersized storm sewer system. But it said the unincorporated community does not cause the problem. "In fact, if the drainage from La Grange Highlands was completely eliminated, there would still be flooding within Springdale Subdivision, although it would be less frequent and less severe," the study said. Moreover, adding a detention basin in La Grange Highlands would be unlikely and costly, the study said. The engineering firm recently released the final version of its study. The proposed improvements to address flooding in Springdale are estimated to cost between $2.5 million and $3.1 million. The firm recommended two alternatives that would include constructing new larger diameter storm sewers to provide relief to the existing system during flooding and send excess stormwater to a new detention basin in Springdale Park.