Lauren Underwood

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood met with Lockport city officials Tuesday to present a check for over $1.3 million in federal funds for a storm sewer replacement and extension project.

Underwood’s office secured $1,369,000 in federal Section 219 grant money, which is used for environmental infrastructure needs. Lockport will use the funds to “advance long-term infrastructure resilience and improve local stormwater management” in the Drake neighborhood off 151st Street, the city said in a news release.

Section 219 grants are administered by the U.S. Army corps of Engineers.

“We would like to say thanks for all your hard work on this,” Mayor Steven Streit told Underwood at a presentation in Lockport. “In the world of politics, this has moved pretty fast.”

According to the city announcement of the grant, the project will be led by the U.S. Army corps of Engineers, which will do all of the actual work on the project.

“The Corps of Engineers has a long list of projects, but they need to be fully funded to be approved,” Underwood said. “When we identify a funding source, a project can get moved up the list.”

Underwood, a Democrat from Naperville whose 14th Congressional District includes portions of Lockport, is up for reelection in November.

Streit and City Administrator Ben Benson said they first spoke with Underwood about the project about two years ago.

Following what Underwood described as a “speed bump” in project approvals during the 2025 government shutdown, funding for the project was approved officially in February.

The full project will include the design and installation of about 3,700 feet of new and replacement storm sewers, along with a review of previous stormwater conveyance studies and “updated recommendations based on current rainfall data to ensure proper pipe sizing,” according to the city announcement.

The project budget also includes associated restoration work such as curb replacements, driveway and pavement patching, and landscape restoration after the work is complete.

Lockport said the project is needed to reduce flooding in the Drake neighborhood. This summer, the streets in the subdivision experienced flooding from the number of heavy storms, though no homes sustained damage.

The Lockport project is one of 15 projects district-wide that Underwood secured funding for in 2026, and the last one to receive its big-check presentation, many of which include water infrastructure.

“It’s amazing how much work we do that’s about moving water,” Streit joked.

“What I like about this project is it not only moves water around, but it makes it look good, too, which is important for the community,” said Underwood. “Most of our communities have big water projects going on. We’ve been pretty consistent working with communities to help address those needs, because especially some smaller towns can’t afford it.”

With funding secured, the project will now begin its engineering phase, which is expected to last about nine months, according to Public Works Director Brian Lovering. Construction is then expected to begin in 2028.

“This federal investment allows us to move forward on critical stormwater upgrades that will benefit residents for decades,” said Benson. “We are grateful for Representative Underwood’s support and look forward to advancing this important infrastructure project.”