​ERA provided engineering services on a joint project with Bolingbrook Park District and the Bernard Ward Elementary School. Our services included drainage improvements and pavement rehabilitation of a ½ mile section of Recreation Drive, the 236-space main parking lots for the Annerino Community Center, the shared 98-space parking lot, and 89 parking spaces along Recreation Drive.  Additionally, the pavement and 54 parking spaces associated with the Bolingbrook Park District Central Maintenance Facility were rehabilitated. 
 
The project was done in two phases to have the first phase completed in time for school to start.  The contractor, Abbey Paving, was able to complete the first phase in time for school to open despite delays due to record rainfalls.  The $980,000 project was completed on time and approximately $120,000 under budget.

​This week’s plant of the week is Monarda fistulosa, commonly known as Wild Bergamot.
 
True Bergamot is Citrus bergamia and is a hybrid of the bitter orange and lemon plants. Wild bergamot, as it is found in Illinois, is a member of the mint family and is commonly identified by tall, erect stems with opposite leaf arrangement featuring a square cross section. Each lavender-colored bloom is comprised of many smaller individual flowers that are prized by bees, flies, butterflies, moths, and many other pollinators. Considering all this information, it is easy to see how the plant got its name. Wild bergamot leaves, when bruised or crushed, produce a bergamot-like odor that wafts across the prairies during summer.
 
This plant is commonly found in both prairie and wetland buffer settings where it is often used in restoration and stormwater improvement projects. Known for its semi-aggressive growth habit, this plant has no issue outcompeting some of the more problematic prairie invaders. One downside to this plant is that it is highly susceptible to powdery mildew, a fungus that appears on the leaves and stems. This dusty coating that does not necessarily harm the plant but is not the most pleasing to see in your garden.
 
With vigorous growth, an attractive bloom and foliage, fragrance, and benefits to pollinators, it is no wonder this plant has been seen more often in landscape settings as native plants grow in popularity. 

Located in downtown Naperville along the Riverwalk, ERA and its team of subconsultants worked with the City of Naperville to provide a structural assessment of the Moser Tower, home to the Millennium Carillon. It is said to be one of the four largest carillon structures in the United States. Our findings during the investigation phase verified that the tower was structurally sound and within the realm of repair. That led to ERA’s development of contract plans and specifications to address the required concrete repairs, steel repairs and painting, and waterproofing issues experienced at the base of the tower. The project was let in May with construction commencing in June. Workers are currently installing scaffolding around the entire perimeter of the structure so they may access repair locations. ERA is providing construction engineering services to the City to help ensure the repairs are constructed in accordance with the contract documents. The Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon will be closed to the public for the remainder of the 2021 season and the bells will be silenced until construction is completed in the fall.

This week's plant of the week is the native Halberd-Leaved Rose Mallow (Hibiscus laevis).  

A native wetland perennial found in most areas of the state, this native hibiscus looks like a tropical plant that escaped from the jungles of Hawaii but is content growing in the swamps, riverbanks, and marshes throughout central Illinois and some counties at the north and south ends of the state. This plant can be identified in the off-season by the bunches of upright brown stalks and is difficult to distinguish from the related but rare Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) without foliage present.   

While this plant does not lend itself particularly well to landscaping due to its need for wet soils, it can be grown successfully in rain gardens where the ground stays moist year-round. The large flowers are great for pollinators and nectar-seeking insects of all kinds due to their large size and readily accessible pollen-producing organs.   

Distinct features of this plant aside from the showy attractive blooms are the interesting lobed foliage and fascinating flower buds protected by a medieval-looking cage of spiky bracts. These bracts seem to act as a defense against herbivores, though they are not very effective as they are soft and flexible.   ​

​Just blocks from the original McDonald’s location in the City of Des Plaines, Illinois, ERA worked with the Little Bulgarian School to construct a new parking lot facility for the renovated school building originally constructed in 1930.  The original site only had 31 parking stalls. The improved parking lot provides 60 new parking stalls and 3 ADA spaces along with an improved drop off area. The parking lot required MWRD permitting and underground stormwater storage was needed to comply with stormwater detention and water quality requirements. The new driveway entrance onto Lee Street is an unmarked Illinois State route that included recent streetscape improvements.  New drainage has helped to eliminate the frequent basement flooding. The school is now fully functional and was even able to help the community by making their space available to local sports leagues during the slower times of the year.

​ Plant of the week is back! This week’s featured plant is Common Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). 
 
Common Jewelweed is an herbaceous annual plant with translucent succulent stems and interesting orange flowers. Common throughout Illinois in shady, wet areas, the plant can be found in varying habitats from stream banks, bottom woods, and disturbed areas with moderate soil moisture where a shallow fragile root system can dig into soft sediment and organic material. There is one other Impatiens species in Illinois, Impatiens pallida, or Pale Jewelweed. It is very similar to Common Jewelweed but has yellow flowers instead of orange and appears to be more tolerant of dry soils. 
 
Aside from the unique two-part flower, Jewelweed flowers exhibit a trait known as ‘cleistogamy’ where self-pollination takes place inside a small, closed flower without the need for external factors. This trait means less energy is spent on producing large showy flowers, pollen, or nectar, that would otherwise take away from seed production or general plant growth. Another interesting feature is seed dispersal. Once flowers are pollinated and die back, the seed pod grows into a narrow green pod, which then bursts open on contact, hurling seeds in every direction as shown in the below slow-motion video.  
 
While all of this may be fascinating in and of itself, the best part about Jewelweed is its anti-itch properties. Frequently the number one active ingredient in poison ivy cream and some bug bite medication, jewelweed is a fantastic natural remedy for things like mosquito bites, poison ivy, and stinging nettle (which coincidentally all happen to grow in similar locations). Simply tear off a leaf and crush it up in your fingers to release the plant’s sap and rub it on the affected areas. Of course, the first time you apply or try any foraged ingredients, sample a small amount and wait to see if any adverse reactions occur before applying more.