Oak Park’s 221-page capital improvement plan lists the projects the village plans for the next five years and what their costs will be. The projected cost for all 2024 projects on the list is $22.4 million, although costs may change as the projects develop. Oak Park Public Works Director Rob Sproule walked Wednesday Journal through four of the biggest public-facing projects, ones with impact, beginning next year.
Madison Street Redevelopment and Streetscaping, $5.25 million
The village will be making resurfacing, streetscaping and utility improvements along Madison Street between Oak Park Avenue and East Avenue to revitalize the corridor and to provide safer pedestrian crossing. The street will receive new lighting, bicycle lanes, an elevated speed table and crosswalks, as well as undergo utility relocation, alley replacements and construction of the planned cul-de-sac on Euclid Avenue. Throughout construction, at least one lane of traffic is expected to stay open in each direction.
The project is part of the 2018 redevelopment agreement, which included the village’s transfer of Madison Street properties to Pete’s Fresh Market to serve as the location of the grocery store’s second Oak Park location. The agreement also allowed for the construction of the American House senior living complex on the south side of Madison Street, across from the long-awaited grocery store.
The cost of the project is estimated at $5.25 million, with $4.38 million coming from capital funds. The rest will come from a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and other sources
Work is expected to begin late February or early March and is expected to end in November.
South Boulevard Water and Sewer Main Improvements, $2.6 million
The water main and sewer main will be replaced on South Boulevard from Home Avenue to Kenilworth Avenue. South Boulevard will also be resurfaced, and the road will be reconstructed under the Forest Avenue viaduct. The new sewer and water mains are expected to better manage rainwater.
A 12-inch water main will replace the existing 6-inch one, improving the flow of water for firefighters.
The projected cost of the project, $2.6 million, will come from the village’s water and sewer operating revenues, which are generated by residential and commercial water bills. Some elements of the work will require street closures, which will have a “significant impact” on traffic and require detours, according to Sproule. Construction is expected from March to June.
Austin Boulevard resurfacing, $2.16 million
A joint project between the village of Oak Park and Chicago, Austin Boulevard will be resurfaced in 2024 from Roosevelt Road to Lake Street. The street, which hasn’t been resurfaced since 1999, is shared between the municipalities, with the village owning the west half. The project will also have some sewer replacements and spot-repair work on the village’s half of Austin Boulevard.
While the village will handle the sewer work, the city will be carrying out the whole of the street resurfacing work. The village will reimburse the city for its share of the project expense.
The village’s portion is projected to be $2.16 million and 80% of that will be covered by a $1.08 million grant awarded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Transportation Project.
The remaining resurfacing costs will be covered by the village’s main capital improvement fund and the state motor fuel tax with $175,000 coming out of the fund and $140,000 coming from the tax. The sewer replacement costs, estimated at $1.8 million, will come from the village’s sewer and water fund.
Work is expected to begin in spring and last through the summer.
Parking Lot 10 reconstruction and streetscaping, $1.2 million
Public parking area Lot 10, between Marion Street and Forest Avenue on North Boulevard, will see improvements in the pavement of the off-street parking area and the installation of a permeable parking lot. The lot’s sidewalks will be replaced to improve accessibility. North Boulevard will be resurfaced from Marion to Forest.
The project is intended in part to make the lot a greater space for outdoor events, such as Downtown Oak Park’s annual Oaktoberfest. The village will carry this project out with the South Boulevard water and sewer main improvements project.
The village’s parking operating revenues will cover $675,000 of the project, with $350,000 coming from the capital improvement fund. The installation of the permeable parking lot will be covered by a $220,000 grant.