A summer of roadwork through Forest Park will become more challenging for drivers following action by the village council at the May 22 meeting.
Village officials voted 4-0 to advertise for bids on the resurfacing of Washington Street from Marengo to Harlem avenues; Hannah Avenue from Madison to Lehmer streets; and Hannah from Roosevelt Road to 14th Street. Commissioner Dan Novak did not attend. The project also includes replacing the 4-inch water main in the 400 and 500 blocks of Hannah with an 8-inch water main and asphalt grinding and overlay of a T-alley behind Forest Park Village Hall.
Officials are expecting to open bids on Thursday, June 8, and award contracts at the Monday, June 26 village council meeting. Work is expected to begin in early July and be completed by the end of August. The cost is estimated at $1.11 million with funding from motor fuel tax funds, tax increment financing (TIF) funds and the water fund.
The Hannah water main project is a continuation of an effort to replace all 4-inch water mains with 8-inch versions to increase water pressure and for improved fire protection. As streets over the smaller water mains are targeted for resurfacing, village officials are incorporating the water main upgrade to avoid resurfacing the street twice. Of the 30.6 miles of water mains in the village, 31,380 feet are still only 4 inches in diameter.
The projects are part of the village’s effort to resurface at least some side streets annually. The decision on which streets are to be resurfaced is based on the condition of the streets and availability of funds.
Already challenging drivers are the long-anticipated Roosevelt Road reconstruction and streetscape project and a Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission project on Fillmore Street.
The Roosevelt Road project, which began in March, includes pavement resurfacing between Harlem and Desplaines avenues; pedestrian bump-outs at all intersections; additional streetscape features at the bump-out locations, including landscaped planters, benches, trash receptacles and stamped/colored pedestrian crosswalks; landscaped median islands; and replacement of all street lighting with decorative street lighting.
The $4.75 million project cost will be covered by $2.46 million from the TIF fund and a $2.29 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission project, which began last month, involves the installation of a 12,100-foot-long, 36-inch ductile iron water main on Fillmore from Harlem to Hannah, where it will connect to an existing 20-inch pipe owned by the water commission. The overall project started last year with similar work in Oak Park. Forest Park officials noted that the project is solely funded by the Brookfield-North Riverside commission and no village funds are being expended.
