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Staff file photo / Allie Vugrincic
Workers with the city of Niles work to pump water out of a hole at the intersection of North Main Street and West Park Avenue downtown on March 24. A water-main break closed the area to traffic. Replacing the cityâs aging infrastructure is a top priority for Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz and the city has received grants to do so.
NILES — Big changes are in the works in the city for upgrading and maintaining infrastructure.
One of the most highly spoken of topics in Niles, other than annexation, is the city’s aging infrastructure and the continued fight on neighborhood blight. At a recent city council meeting, several grants were approved for the city to seek. On top of the major investment in two 24-inch water valves valued at $200,000 per valve and $1.3 million going toward street resurfacing, the city seems to be pursuing grants to combat the issues with the old infrastructure.