Without Fix, Hinsdale Area Vulnerable To Floods: Resident
HINSDALE, IL – Flooding never used to be a problem near Phillippa Street and Fuller Road in northeast Hinsdale, a resident said Tuesday.
“In August of 2014, there was a huge storm with 3½ inches in an hour, and we didn’t get flooded,” resident John Bloomfield told the Village Board. “It never flooded until June 2021 when the construction by the tollway caused the flooding.”
After that, the Illinois Tollway compensated residents for the damage, which was blamed on a years-long expansion of Interstate 294.
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In July, Bloomfield said, another big storm hit the area. That led to flooding at Fuller and Phillippa to the point where police blocked off streets, he said.
“What was really concerning was that hours after the rain had stopped, it wasn’t draining, so our concern is something has permanently changed,” said Bloomfield, who lives at the corner of Fuller and Phillippa.
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At Tuesday’s board meeting, the village approved paying HR Green, an engineering firm, to finish studying the neighborhood’s flooding. A previous firm hired to do the job went out of business.
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Part of HR Green’s work includes a site visit. Bloomfield asked that neighbors be informed about when that will happen, so they can attend and provide the engineers with context.
He also said residents would like to have access to the firm’s weekly updates and be able to provide the engineers with photos of past flooding.
Village President Tom Cauley replied the village could do what the residents ask.
“In my view, flooded areas of the village are the village’s job. That’s our primary job,” Cauley said. “We have had some good success in fixing flooded areas over the years. We plan to do the same thing here.”
If the cost of a solution is reasonable, he said, the village may fix the problem next year.
“But if it requires more money from us, it may be the year after,” Cauley said.
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