Funding the preliminary engineering phase of River Forest’s planned Washington Boulevard project became a little easier when the village received a $62,786 grant from Cook County in July.
Jack Bielak, director of public works and engineering, said the Invest in Cook grant will cover approximately half of the preliminary engineering cost with the balance covered by the village’s capital improvement fund.
Total cost for the Washington Boulevard Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Calming Improvements Project is estimated to be $1.8 million with the preliminary engineering the first of three phases.
Planned improvements will focus on pedestrian safety enhancements and speed control measures along Washington. The project would include a road diet, bump outs, Americans with Disabilities Act improvements and various other traffic calming measures that contribute to bicycle and pedestrian safety.
A temporary solution for the Washington traffic and safety issues was implemented in March. At that time, delineators were installed at intersections, leading to a reduction in average speed of four to seven miles per hour according to Bielak.
The first phase, which is expected to start this month, consists of a Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Study which provides the support for the determination of a preferred option. During this phase, proposed geometry, environmental concerns and proposed right-of-way are identified and public hearings are held to solicit feedback regarding the project.
The second phase, detailed engineering, is expected to start in July 2026. That phase is the design phase which refines the design and develops plans, specifications and estimates for construction.
The target date for the actual construction, the third phase, is May 2027 although Bielak said the schedule may change depending on the timing of Phase I and Phase 2 or grant funding. If construction does start in May 2027 the completion target would be October 2027.
The construction phase of the project is the final stage in which the actual building and implementation of the planned improvements take place.
Bielak said village staff members will continue to pursue grant funding for future phases including additional Invest in Cook grants and Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grants.
Under the 2025 Invest in Cook grant program, a total of $8,270,810 will be distributed across 32 recipients and will fund four transit, six bicycle, eight pedestrian, one freight and 13 road projects which will leverage $21.5 million from other sources.
This is the ninth year Invest in Cook grant funding has been awarded for transportation-related projects. In its nine years, Invest in Cook has awarded $72.7 million in grants supporting a total of 310 projects throughout Cook County. In total, these grants have enabled $204.5 million in project activity.