Crime & Safety

Cal Sag Road Closure Could Last Through Friday

Jet fuel from a pipeline spilled into nearby land and the Calumet Sag Channel, prompting a closure of the waterway Monday.

An effort to clean up a jet fuel spill likely could keep Cal Sag Road closed through Friday, local officials announced Tuesday.

Federal, state and local agencies, as well as the company that operates the pipeline, continue to address a fuel line break that spilled onto land near the roadway.

Manufacturing a replacement for the section of pipe that leaked is taking longer than expected, one said. The West Shore Pipeline Company is in the process of fixing the section of the company's Badger Pipe Line System, which supplies jet fuel.

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Cal Sag Road (Route 83) is closed from Southwest Highway to Route 45. Traffic can detour around the site by using 111th 123rd and 95th and 119th, officials said.

Palos Park village staff, firefighters, United States Coast Guard and Cook County emergency management are working together in management of the cleanup effort, police said. Mutual aid from New Lenox, Oak Forest, Mokena, Palos Hills, Palos Heights and Cook County also is assisting the village.

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Officials from Illinois and U.S. environmental protection agencies are overseeing the clean up.

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The spill appears to have been contained to an uninhabited land north of Route 83, said Palos Park Village Administrator Rick Boehm. Some of the fuel also spilled into the Calumet Sag Channel, prompting a shutdown Monday by the Coast Guard. The channel reopened Tuesday, according to a statement from West Shore Pipeline

"We are, as a village, very concerned about not only for the environment but for our residents health and safety (as well)," Boehm said.

All visible remnants of the fuel have been removed and remediation crews are hauling affected dirt away from the area. Test drilling is being conducted to determine if fuel leached into nearby wells that are used for "outside irrigation," Boehm said.

Crews are working around the clock cleaning up the site.

More than 10,000 vehicles use the portion of Cal Sag Road closed each day, reports Sun-Times Media.

West Shore Pipeline sent a statement to Palos Patch late Tuesday:

West Shore Pipe Line Company has continued to work with state and federal authorities to address the August 27 release of jet fuel that occurred along a section of the company’s Badger Pipe Line System near Palos Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago.

West Shore Pipe Line Company’s Spill Management Team has completed the immediate remediation activities on the Calumet-Saganashkee (Cal-Sag) Channel. Following a thorough analysis and observation, the United States Coast Guard has determined that the waterway is safe for transit and has re-opened the channel to all vessel traffic. (U.S. Coast Guard Announcement)

On-site crews continue to work around the clock to respond to the release. Activities at the release site have included removing impacted soil, ongoing testing of air, soil and water quality and installing remediation wells. Testing has not indicated any risk to the public at this time.

Roads adjacent to the release site, located west of the intersection of South Highwood Drive and Highway 83 in Palos Park, have been closed by local authorities to facilitate repair and cleanup work and to ensure public safety.

West Shore Pipe Line has established a claims center hotline for anyone who believes they have been affected by the spill. Individuals can contact the claims center between 7 AM and 7 PM CT using the hotline at 866-837-5016.

West Shore Pipe Line’s primary concern is ensuring the safety of the public and responders as well as minimizing the release’s environmental impact. The pipeline system will remain shut down until it is deemed safe by company officials and regulatory authorities. We are working closely with our customers to minimize supply disruption.

Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Additional Information

The Badger Pipeline System is a refined products pipeline system that transports fuels from the East Chicago, Indiana area to terminal delivery points in the greater Chicago regions and parts of Wisconsin. It transports gasoline, diesel and aviation turbine fuels throughout the region.

West Shore Pipe Line Company is based in Arlington Heights, IL.

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