A project to improve pedestrian safety at two Lake Street intersections in River Forest is expected to begin this week following village board action June 22. But similar work on two other intersections will not happen until later this year.
The five trustees present voted unanimously June 22 to approve a contract with Acura Inc. of Bensenville for traffic calming improvements at intersections at William Street and Jackson Avenue. Trustee Erika Bachner did not attend. The cost is $242,112. Adding a 10 percent contingency of $24,111 makes a not-to-exceed total of $266,323.
Jack Bielak, director of public works and engineering, said trustees are expected to consider a contract for similar improvements at intersections at Franklin Avenue and Edgewood Place “toward the end or summer or early fall.”
He said improvements at Franklin and Edgewood will be partially funded by an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Safe Routes to School grant of $179,828 and addressing the additional requirements with the grant “will take more time.”
Total cost of the project is estimated at $550,000.
Village officials said the motivation for the upgrades is improving pedestrian safety, citing resident input at community meetings, including the village board and at the Casual Conversations series with village officials.
The project includes curb extensions, also called bump outs; a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB); and median refuge islands. The project also includes drainage improvements, sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps, pavement markings and final restoration.
Village Administrator Matt Walsh said the grant funds are specifically for the bump out at Edgewood and the RRFB at Franklin. Refuge islands will be at William and at Jackson.
In a separate 5-0 vote, trustees approved a resolution authorizing execution of a joint funding agreement with IDOT for the project. The village’s application for the grant was supported by letters from District 90 and St. Luke’s Catholic Parish.
“These upgrades are a great start, but staff is exploring additional ways to supplement these upgrades to make the crossings even safer for residents,” Walsh said.
The project has been in the works for more than a year.
In a memo to Walsh, Bielak wrote that Lake Street is under IDOT jurisdiction from Harlem Avenue going west through the Village of Bloomingdale where it turns into U.S. 20. Lake Street east of Harlem Avenue is owned by Oak Park and the City of Chicago for their respective segments.
Lake Street has a functional classification of Minor Arterial and in 2023 had an annual average daily traffic figure of 9,700 vehicles. Lake Street has existing curb extensions that were built in 2010 at Keystone, Forest, Park, Franklin and Ashland avenues.
Jackson and William are both situated along the commercial corridor of Lake.
The intersection at Jackson experiences high pedestrian traffic due to the nearby Jewel-Osco grocery store and a Pace bus stop. Several pedestrian-related accidents have been documented at this location over the past five years.
The William intersection serves West Suburban Hospital’s River Forest campus which is currently closed. It is adjacent to a large residential complex and multi-family housing on the north side of Lake and the eastern corner of William. This intersection has also seen a notable number of recorded accidents.