In the next two years, Forest Park may be getting a handful of new roads, updated alleyways, sidewalks and water mains throughout town.
The construction is planned for through the village’s three-year infrastructure plan, which outlines goals from 2024 through 2026.
Last year, the village’s engineering consultant Christopher B. Burke Engineering, village staff and commissioners developed and approved the plan for improvements to the village’s throughways and water distribution system.
At the village’s last council meeting of 2024, James Amelio, the group lead at Burke Engineering, presented the infrastructure plan’s first year of accomplishments, plus 2025 and 2026 goals. Future projects could change, depending on funding and whether the village council approves them.
In 2024, the village funneled $1.8 million – paid for through the village’s water fund, VIP fund, TIF fund, and grants – into the following projects:
- Green alleyway in the 800 and 900 blocks of Circle and Marengo
- Updates to the Ferdinand Avenue water main and resurfacing afterwards from Madison to Jackson
- Stage one of the IEPA lead service replacement project
- Brick repairs on Fillmore Street between Beloit and Hannah
- This year’s sidewalk project
- Updates to Madison Street, including furnishings, landscaping, painting, and paving
- Removing islands on Roosevelt Road
- Adding commuter bike facilities at the intersection of Harlem and Harrison
In 2025, infrastructure projects could include:
- Water main updates and resurfacing the 400 and 500 blocks of Marengo, Ferdinand Avenue from Madison to Jackson, and Jackson Avenue from Des Plaines to Harlem
- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s lead service inventory, followed by stages one and two of IEPA lead pipe replacement projects. While the inventory will help village staff develop a plan to phase out all lead pipes in the village over the next decade, the initial phases will focus on replacing lead service lines from parkways into homes.
“I’m sure some residents have received notices that this work is coming,” Amelio said. “We’re asking for their assistance in taking some pictures and signing waivers to allow this work to get facilitated.”
- Van Buren Street multi-use path; “Due to some delays with ComEd relocating their facilities, we’re pushing that to 2025,” Amelio said
- Green alley in the 800 block of Beloit-Thomas
- Updating certain stretches of sidewalk
- A feasibility study next year to see what the best options are for replacing or relocating the Jackson water reservoir
In 2026, infrastructure projects may include:
- Replacing the water main and resurfacing Monroe and Adams from Jackson to Des Plaines
- Updating the Jackson water main and resurfacing from Des Plaines to Harlem
- Alley improvements on the 1100 blocks of Lathrop and Ferdinand
- Resurfacing on the 900-1100 blocks of Lathrop
- Green alley in the 600 and 800 blocks of Thomas and Hannah
- Redoing stretches of sidewalk
- Phase three of the IEPA lead service line replacement project
- A permeable paver parking lot at Constitution Court
- Separating the sewer at 13th Street
“As things change, as new projects come up or as funding varies, obviously we’re going to switch courses as needed and as directed by the board,” Amelio said about the infrastructure plan for 2025 and 2026.
“As we’ve developed this infrastructure plan, it continues to be a very useful working document, and it’s allowed for us to make very strategic investments in the infrastructure of the village,” said Michelle Melin-Rogovin, commissioner of streets and public improvements, at the village council meeting. “These are things that sound official on paper, but really do help us as a village become more environmentally sustainable and promote strategies that are of concern to our residents.”