'Not A Pretty Scene' Along Road In Darien

DARIEN, IL – A Darien alderwoman on Monday pointed to the recent closure of a sidewalk along a major street. She said the collapsing fence next to it is a danger to anyone walking by.

Mary Sullivan, who represents Ward 5, was referring to the sidewalk next to North Frontage Road, a state road. The section in question runs along Carriage Greens Country Club.

"I feel like this is a 911 emergency because it is a heavily used sidewalk," Sullivan said at a City Council meeting. "Now that spring has sprung, a lot of kids from down in Ward 5 like to ride their bikes to Cass Junior High, and a lot of people like myself like to walk their dog."

Dan Gombac, the city's municipal services director, said the area in question is subject to heavy erosion, with water flowing through Carriage Greens under Interstate 55.

"The split rail fence basically has been collapsing due to a lot of erosion," Gombac said. "With that said, I would not recommend putting a split rail fence back in place as any type of toddler or child potentially riding a bike or even walking has the opportunity to fall into what's been referred to as the gorge."

The gorge was described as deep as 15 feet.

"It's not a pretty scene," he said.

Gombac is proposing a cyclone fence, which is believed to hold to the ground better. That fence is expected to cost up to $10,000.

Sullivan said the city should not wait for the Illinois Department of Transportation's answer on the city's plan. That would take too long, she said.

"The city of Darien needs to be responsible for it," she said. "We keep a tally of what we spent."