Contract Awarded to Replace Wallace Avenue Water Main

At the September 21, 2026, City Council meeting, the Aldermen approved the contract award to Campanella and Sons, Inc. to for the Wallace Avenue Water Main Replacement Project in a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $1,570,948.50.

North Chicago solicited bids from four qualified contractors and received two proposals for the project. Campanella and Sons, Inc. submitted the lowest bid for both alternatives, including a bid of $1,570,948.50 for Alternate B. Alternate B provides for replacement of approximately 1,300 linear feet of water main and associated improvements, along with complete roadway reconstruction of Wallace Avenue from 24th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Trotter and Associates, Inc. reviewed Campanella’s bid and found it complete, responsive, and acceptable, and recommended the award of Bid Alternate B to Campanella and Sons, Inc.

The existing 6-inch cast iron water main along Wallace Avenue between 24th Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard was installed in 1960 and has experienced repeated failures, including seven water main breaks within a two-week period in May 2026. According to North Chicago Public Works, Prior to 2026, this reach of water main had suffered 14 breaks. These failures will continue to surface as the weakest point moves along the pipeline.

Due to the deteriorated condition of the water main and the increasing frequency of emergency repairs, replacement of this segment has been identified as a priority capital improvement. The proposed project includes replacement of approximately 1,300 linear feet of water main, replacement of associated appurtenances, transfer of existing water services, roadway and utility restoration, and related improvements necessary to improve system reliability.

This project will include:

  • Replacement of the existing 6" cast iron water main along Wallace Avenue, from the intersection of 24th Street and Wallace Avenue, north to the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Wallace Avenue, with a new 8" ductile iron water main protected in polyethylene encasement.
  • Transfer of water services from the existing water main to the new water main.
  • Abandonment of the existing 6" water main.
  • Surface restoration including pavement patching, driveway replacement, curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk replacement, and landscape restoration.
  • Milling and overlay of the pavement along Wallace Avenue north of 23rd Street.
  • Reconstruction of the roadway along Wallace Avenue south of 23rd Street.