Monee Adopts Resolution to Waive Surety Bonds for Municipal Work in IDOT Right-of-Ways

Monee Village Board of Trustees Meeting | March 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Monee Village Board passed a resolution allowing the Department of Public Works to perform emergency utility repairs within state-controlled roadways without the administrative hurdle of securing a surety bond.

IDOT Right-of-Way Resolution Key Points:

• The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) requires a surety bond for municipalities to work within state right-of-ways, unless a specific waiver resolution is passed.

• The resolution allows Monee to bypass the bond requirement for two years.

• The waiver only applies to village-owned utilities located within the state’s footprint, not general road maintenance.

MONEE, Ill. — The Monee Village Board of Trustees on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, unanimously passed a resolution designed to cut bureaucratic red tape when village crews need to repair local utilities located near state highways.

Village Administrator Ruben Bautista presented a resolution authorizing municipal work within Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) right-of-ways. Under standard IDOT regulations, municipalities are required to secure a surety bond before performing any infrastructure work on state property. However, IDOT permits local governments to bypass this requirement by formally adopting a waiver resolution, which remains valid for two years.

Bautista noted that passing the resolution allows the Department of Public Works to respond to necessary and emergency infrastructure issues—such as water main breaks or sewer repairs—without waiting to obtain a bond.

During the discussion, Trustee Chuck Rakis asked for clarification on whether this meant the village was taking on IDOT’s maintenance responsibilities.

“This would be for utilities that are village utilities that we would have to enter into their right-of-way to do work,” Bautista clarified. “Basically, it’s nothing that IDOT is responsible for, such as Route 50.”

Bautista added that the village rarely needs to enact this specific waiver, noting that the last time Monee passed a similar IDOT resolution was in 2015.