Residents on Hillside Avenue, Forest Avenue and Ott Avenue can expect final surface paving on their streets Wednesday, Aug. 19, through Aug. 21, marking one of the last visible steps in Glen Ellyn's $22 million downtown streetscape and utility project that has reshaped the village's core over the past several years.
The village's August engineering report, published Aug. 7, shows the downtown streetscape project is essentially complete. Contractor A Lamp Concrete Contractors finished replacing roughly 2,000 deficient paver bricks scattered through downtown, leaving only three minor landscaping items and one electrical connection at 504 Hillside Ave. that requires coordination with ComEd and Nicor.
The combined project, Phase 1 at $5.7 million and Phases 2-3 at $16.3 million, is tracking about $675,000 under its originally approved contract amounts, according to the village's June engineering report. That's money back in village coffers.
Paving and utility work across town
The Aug. 19-21 paving on Hillside, Forest and Ott is part of a broader $7.8 million utility and roadway program covering approximately 4.6 centerline miles of village streets. Paving in the Maryknoll Subdivision and on Pershing Avenue between Route 53 and Roosevelt Road is already finished.
Work continues elsewhere. Curb, gutter and sidewalk replacement is underway on Plumtree Road, Meredith Place and Linden Street. On Cottage Avenue, a new water main has been installed between Pleasant and Main streets, with water and sewer service connections in progress. The Marion Avenue water main is in pressure testing and disinfection.
Lambert and Riford roads done early
Two federally funded road projects came in ahead of schedule. The Lambert Road rehabilitation, covering 1.5 miles from Woodcroft Drive to Roosevelt Road and contracted at $1.76 million with K-Five, is substantially complete. The Riford Road project, a half-mile stretch between Crescent Boulevard and St. Charles Road contracted at $603,175 with Schroder Asphalt Services, is also done. Both received 60% federal Surface Transportation Program funding. Lawn restoration with sod is planned for September on both corridors.
Train station hits design milestone
The long-planned Glen Ellyn train station and pedestrian tunnel project is advancing toward 95% design documents, due Friday, Sept. 4. Engineer CDM Smith and KMI Architects will submit those plans to IDOT, Union Pacific Railroad, Metra, DuPage County and the Illinois EPA for review.
The village's Architectural Appearance Commission has approved the station's look, including material colors and the glass-and-screening design for an outbound-only warming shelter. IDOT has also approved the plat of highways identifying easements needed from Union Pacific; the appraisal process for those easements is expected to take about two months.
The village has secured $24.8 million in outside grants for the project, including $14.4 million from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program, $5 million from the Illinois Commerce Commission Grade Crossing Protection Fund, $4 million from Metra and $1.4 million from the Surface Transportation Program, according to the village's strategic plan report.
What else is coming
The Crescent-Glenwood parking lot rehabilitation ($1.2 million, contractor Abbey Construction) is nearing completion, with about 1,400 of 1,800 perennial plants installed in the reconstructed median. Remaining work includes two ADA ramp replacements and final plantings, coordinated around an upcoming carnival in the lot.
A village speed study examining whether to lower residential limits to 25 mph is scheduled for presentation to the Capital Improvements Commission on Wednesday, Sept. 9. About a dozen residents attended an Aug. 4 public meeting on the 2027 roadway program, where a proposed new sidewalk on Brandon Avenue drew concerns about tree impacts and drainage.
Upcoming dates
- Aug. 19-21: Final surface paving on Hillside, Forest and Ott avenues
- September: Lawn restoration on Lambert and Riford roads
- Sept. 4: Train station 95% design documents due for agency review
- Sept. 9: Speed study presentation to Capital Improvements Commission
