City of Lockport issued the following announcement on Sept. 21.
Stage 1 Complete: Construction Moving to the East Side of State Street
The City of Lockport’s landmark State Street construction project is progressing, with construction crews completing the sidewalk, curb, water main, and on-street parking on the west side of State Street and moving to the east side on Friday, September 21. The roadwork phase of the project is on schedule to be completed in late November this year.
“We’re very excited to continue moving forward on this project, which will improve safety for drivers and pedestrians in the Downtown Historic District,” said City Administrator Ben Benson. “We’re grateful to our local business community for their understanding and patience, and we’re thankful to our residents for their support.”
The switch to construction on the east side of State Street marks the beginning of stage 2. During this phase of the project, the contractor D Construction will perform similar work to that which was performed on the west side during stage 1, including installing sidewalk, curb, and water main, now on the east side.
The City recently received a request which is under consideration, to allow D Construction to extend their construction hours, in an effort to minimize the impact of the length of the project. Current construction hours are between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The proposed hours include overnight construction from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday (no overnight work Sunday night into Monday). The extended hours would not affect the cost of the project. The City is currently seeking input from the business community regarding the contractor’s request.
Downtown Construction Project Summary
The project, overseen by the Illinois Department of Transportation, began in early 2018 and focuses on alleviating traffic congestion and implementing safety improvements at the intersection of IL Route 171 (State Street) and IL Route 7 (9th Street). Improvements being made during the project include:
• New left turn lanes onto State Street
• Bump-outs at the intersection of State and 9th to calm traffic
• Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks and crossings
• Reconstructed on-street parking
• Traffic signal replacement
• Utility relocations and water main replacements
The City’s portion of the project includes streetscape and beautification, designed to provide a sense of community and pride in the downtown district. Streetscape is being installed concurrently with IDOT construction. The project is expected to be completed in summer 2019. Features of the streetscape include:
• New landscaping, including trees and decorative planters
• Decorative paving
• Public gathering spaces with communal seating
• Increased walkability throughout the corridor
“This project presented a great opportunity for us to revitalize Lockport’s historic downtown and will help us attract visitors and businesses to the City,” continued Benson. “We’re proud of the changes we’re making and can’t wait for our residents to experience and enjoy the beautified downtown.”
If residents have questions regarding this project, they are asked to please contact Dan Hansen, City Engineer at (815) 838-0549 x2315.
Original source can be found here.
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