Dying Trees Along Railroad Tracks Will Be Replaced

Trees planted as a buffer along railroad tracks already are dying and need to be replaced a year later, according to village officials, but the contractor balked at putting in new trees.

Officials say the contractor, Speedy Gonzalez Lanscaping, Inc. left the in the lurch.

Board members voted April 23 to use bonds to cover a portion of the cost of replacing the trees, with Canadian National railway covering the rest. Bond company United Fire will cover 85 percent of the costs—roughly $46,300—with the remainder coming from a fund previously established by CN.

The natural buffer was part of an agreement with the railroad company following its purchase of the EJ&E Railway. The contract stated CN would reimburse the expense of installing a landscape buffer. 

Speedy Gonzales Landscaping, Inc. secured the low bid of just over $99,000. But the work didn't go as planned, according to Assistant Village Administrator Kirk Zollner.

"They had some substandard plant materials they used on the project. ... There was some significant tree die-off in a section of this particular project," he said.

Finding the work unsatisfactory, the Village declared the business to be in breach of contract. 

Mokena-based Brookside Lawn—the original third-lowest bidder—will complete the work. Work is expected to begin in early- to mid-May, and will last a few weeks.

"Long story short, it's not the best solution, but we think it is a good solution, based on what happened out there," Zollner said.