Utility Poles Bursting Out Of Joliet's Sidewalks: Here's Why

JOLIET — One of the strangest sights you will see in Joliet happens to be along Theodore Street near the Wesmere subdivision. Early this summer, contractors moved the giant wooden utility poles along the north side of Theodore and drilled them right into the middle of the city sidewalks. And then the contractors walked away from the construction project.

Joliet Patch has noticed that no substantial work on the Theodore Street improvements has taken place for months. Meanwhile, the contractors hired to oversee the major street improvement project left behind approximately 10 wooden utility poles in the middle of the sidewalks, creating obstacles for nearby subdivision residents going for a walk or people trying to ride their bicycle along the sidewalk rather than put their lives on the line by trying to cycle along the four-lane Theodore Street.

Last Thursday night, Joliet Patch was reminded about the odd phenomenon of the utility poles drilled into the sidewalks when the city of Joliet's public works department was forced to close Theodore Street at River Road because of a water main break near the site of the construction saga.

On Friday, Joliet Patch contacted city of Joliet officials including Public Works Director Greg Ruddy to learn why the utility poles were drilled into the middle of the sidewalks in the first place and whether this is a permanent obstacle.

Ruddy responded by email, providing a detailed explanation of the scope of the project.

According to Ruddy's response, the utility poles are there to stay, but the city of Joliet's concrete sidewalk along the north side of Theodore Street will be removed.

"The utility pole relocations are necessary in order to complete Theodore Street widening project taking place at this location," Ruddy explained to Joliet Patch in his response. "The poles were moved away from the road, due to the planned widening, and could not be moved further north, due to right-of-way and an existing sanitary sewer located near this location.

"The sidewalk along the north side of Theodore is scheduled to be removed in the near future as roadway work is scheduled to begin next week (the week of September 2). The sidewalk along the north side of the road will be replaced just south of where the new utility poles are located later this fall."

Until the new sidewalk along the north side of Theodore Street is installed, Ruddy said, "pedestrians will be directed to use the sidewalks on the south side of Theodore, adjacent to Troy School, after the existing sidewalk is removed."