Will County Gazette

As Illinois begins a new fiscal year, residents will experience an increase in fuel prices due to the state's Motor Fuel Tax (MFT), which has risen to 48.3 cents per gallon for gasoline and 55.8 cents for diesel.

In Park Forest, these tax dollars are being allocated to improve local infrastructure through two major projects funded by MFT revenue. The first is the $6 million Forest Boulevard Reconstruction Project, which has been anticipated for several years.

The initiative started in 2018 when Park Forest secured a $252,000 "Invest in Cook" grant from Cook County to assess the feasibility of reconstructing the road. An engineering study conducted by V3 Engineering Consultants identified financial challenges but also presented an opportunity to redesign the roadway with a community-centered approach.

Due to limited access to federal and state funding because of its classification as a local road, village officials adopted a "complete streets" concept. This design accommodates pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit users of all abilities. The plan includes removing two western lanes between Indianwood and Lakewood Boulevards and converting the space into a linear park with a multi-use path extending westward.

Additional funding was secured with another $480,000 "Invest in Cook" grant for Phase 2 engineering in 2020 and a $3 million award from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP). A third "Invest in Cook" grant of $480,000 awarded this year will support construction engineering. To date, over $4.2 million in outside funding has been obtained for this project set to begin construction in 2025.

Apart from road reconstruction, Park Forest is using MFT funds to upgrade streetlight infrastructure. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has replaced older streetlights with energy-efficient LED models and is now addressing underground wiring issues that have caused frequent outages.

To resolve these issues, DPW hired contractors to install new wiring conduit through directional boring. Once installed, DPW staff rewires circuits and installs new poles if needed. New circuits have been installed on North Street, Lakewood, McGarity, and McCarthy over the past two years.

This year’s efforts will focus on Michael, Dunlap, Dunham, Cromwell, and Juniper Streets. In May, Park Forest opened bids for the Fiscal 2026 Street Light Repairs-Conduit Installation Contract; Archon Construction of Addison submitted the lowest bid at $33,335.

These projects are part of Park Forest's commitment to improving public safety and infrastructure resilience while enhancing residents' quality of life by turning tax revenue into tangible progress.