Preliminary construction activities related to the Kress Creek/West Branch DuPage River cleanup project will commence in a new construction staging area in early August 2006. The new construction staging area will be located in a grassy area owned by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, located south of Mack Road and east of Route 59. The new construction staging area is shown in the figure on the following page. The staging area is located along what is known as Reach SD of the river (Mack Road to River Oaks subdivision), but Reach SD cleanup work is not scheduled to begin until late 2006 or early 2007. Building the Reach 5D staging area now will provide required space for construction trailers during the cleanup of upstream reaches of the river, and also will facilitate a separate construction project being carried out by DuPage County and the Forest Preserve District.

The preliminary construction activities slated to begin in early August 2006 are:

1. Installation of a stone access road off of Mack Road, and installation of stone staging and trailer areas and haul roads on the Reach SD staging area. (Note that the haul road shown on the figure that goes from the staging area to the river will not be built now, but will be built when cleanup work in Reach SD is ready to begin.)
2. Set up of two construction office trailers (shown on the figure as the two rectangles near the intersection of Mack Road and Route 59) and construction crew parking areas.
3. Layout of stockpile areas for temporary storage of clean wetland topsoil that will be used during site restoration activities along the river.

The construction activities described above do not involve the excavation and handling of any thorium-contaminated targeted materials.

As shown on the figure, the Reach SD staging area originally was slated to be built closer to the river in a heavily forested area, which would have required the removal of a multitude of mature trees. The new location of the staging area in the grassy area closer to Route 59 avoids this impact.

As part of a separate construction project, DuPage County and the Forest Preserve District are building a deep overwintering pool along the east side of the West Branch DuPage River upstream of Mack Road. Clean wetland topsoil removed from the surface of the overwintering pool area will be used to restore wetland areas along the river that are impacted by the thorium cleanup project. The Reach SD staging area is the designated storage site for this clean wetland topsoil. The wetland topsoil will be temporarily stockpiled and stored on the Reach SD staging area until it is needed for restoration activities along the river.

EPA will soon be announcing an informal meeting to discuss the cleanup of the next reach of the river that will undergo cleanup: Reach SB which extends from Gary's Mill Road to where Kress Creek joins the West Branch DuPage River.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact EPA Remedial Project Manager:

Rebecca Frey
frey.rebecca@epa.gov
312/886-4760
Toll Free: 800/621-8431 x64760

Aerial Photo