CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Ground broke Tuesday on a more than $1.5 million flood control project in the Palos Heights area.
According to project engineer Justin Kirk, the project at Arrowhead Lake will allow the lake to collect 13 million more gallons of stormwater from a residential area just north of 131st Street and east of Harlem Avenue.
Doris Tortorici and her husband, Phil, have lived in their home in the flood plain for the last 60 years. Since the 1990's, they've had to pay flood insurance, because their home is in the flood zone even though the Tortoricis said their home never floods.
The project is welcome news to them.
"At last. At last," said Doris Tortorici.
Cook County Forest Preserve District General Supt. Arnold Randall was also on hand for the groundbreaking and said, "we’re going to get some new trail work out of it and so it’ll be a great amenity for the preserves, as well."
The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.