Ryan Ostry
Bugle Reporter
@RyanOstry_BR18
rostry@buglenewspapers.com
The City of Joliet announced that Jim Trizna, Director of Public Works, received the 2018 Samuel A. Greeley Award at the American Public Works Association (APWA) Southwest Branch of the Chicago Metro Chapter awards ceremony.
The Samuel A. Greeley Award is given to an individual who has continuously served the public in an official capacity and contributed to the advancement of Public Works and thereby improving the quality of life for those who live and work within that community.
Trizna, who has worked in Joliet for 32 years, said this award means so much to him because of the hard work and time he has dedicated to his hometown city.
“It means the world to me because it shows that the time I’ve spent here in Joliet has gotten some respect,” Trizna said. “Getting this recognition from your colleagues and people I deal with in the professional world a lot, just shows how great of people they are that I can share this honor with.”
Trizna began his illustrious career as a civil engineer and steadily increased his responsibilities until promoted to public works administrator and eventually assuming the role as director in 2006.
During his tenure, the city has experienced unprecedented growth, nearly doubling in population putting significant demand on the divisions managed under Public Works which includes engineering, electrical, parking, fleet services and streets.
“A little bit of receiving this award is longevity,” Trizna said. “For this specific award, a individual has to work in a particular city or county for at least 30 consecutive years.
“There’s so many more things to take care of when a city like Joliet doubles in size, we’re the third largest city in the state now so there’s just a lot happening to say the least.”
In the last 10 years, Trizna has been instrumental in reviewing the development of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center and expansion, managed the divergent diamond and reconstruction improvement of Houbolt Road and reviewed the reopening of Chicago Street from Washington to Jefferson streets to provide additional access to downtown Joliet.
Trizna has supervised hundreds of projects over the years, but the CenterPoint Intermodal Center and Houbolt road renovation have both been extremely vital to the cities expansion.
CenterPoint is an ongoing project over the past decade with info structure plans while redeveloping roads and areas to city standards.
“We’re putting in a divergent diamond interchange, and for Houbolt usually IDOT would oversee that, so it’s a entire new learning curve for us, but going to a two lane road to a five lane road has been paramount.”
Trizna said working in the city for as long as he is has humbled him, and serving the people from Joliet has made him want to keep going every day.
“It’s been pretty special for me because a lot of the folks here aren’t from Joliet,” Trizna said. “After getting a job with the county highway department after college and coming back here, renovating some of the old parts of Joliet and just being with the people with the common goal to make this place a better place to live has been really great for me.”