Litchfield Hires Engineers for $48,297 Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Project

Litchfield City Council Meeting | July 16, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council approved professional services agreements with Milano & Grunloh Engineers, LLC, not to exceed $48,297, for design and construction engineering of new State Street sidewalks funded largely by a $250,000 Safe Routes to School grant.

Sidewalk Project Key Points:

• The project installs 1,554 feet of new 5-foot sidewalk on the west side of State Street from Tyler Avenue to Sargent Street, connecting to the new sidewalk at the elementary school.
• Intersecting sidewalks at cross streets will be upgraded to ADA standards, including east-side improvements at Tyler, South, Columbia, Martin and Sargent streets.
• A Safe Routes to School grant covers $250,000 of the project cost; city match funds come from the Capital Sales Tax fund.
• Engineering splits into design ($27,598) and construction engineering ($20,699) agreements with Milano & Grunloh.

LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, July 16, 2026, approved professional services agreements with Milano & Grunloh Engineers, LLC for design and construction engineering services for new sidewalks along the west side of State Street from Tyler Avenue to Sargent Street, for an amount not to exceed $48,297.

The city has been awarded a Safe Routes to School grant to install 1,554 feet of new sidewalk along State Street, according to the packet. The project replaces deteriorated sidewalk with new 5-foot-wide Portland Cement Concrete sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, concrete curbs and freshly painted crosswalks, per the Illinois Department of Transportation engineering agreements. All intersecting sidewalks at cross streets will be updated to ADA standards, with the east side of State Street improved at the intersections at Tyler, South, Columbia, Martin and Sargent streets, and the new walk will connect to the new sidewalk at the elementary school.

The grant covers $250,000 of the cost; an IDOT cost estimate in the packet totals $278,287, including $229,990 in construction and $48,297 in engineering, while a staff memo states $278,780 (see Editorial Flags). Match funds are available from the city’s Capital Sales Tax fund, per the memo. The engineering work is split between a design engineering agreement of $27,598 and a construction engineering agreement of $20,699, both with Milano & Grunloh of Effingham, whose listed contact is Lee R. Beckman. A project exhibit identifies the work as Phase 2 of the city’s Safe Routes to School sidewalk program.

Alderperson Robbin Huffman made the motion, seconded by Alderperson Bob Garcia. “Was this Safe Routes for Schools?” a council member asked before the vote, receiving confirmation. The measure passed on roll call. The city administrator, street superintendent and public works coordinator recommended approval.