The city was slated to begin work this week on this summer’s biggest project — an ambitious $11.1 million improvement of the Emerson/Ridge/Green Bay intersection that has long been every traffic engineer’s headache.
Traffic signals are only one aspect of the project. Officials have mapped out a project scope that is to include roadway, resurfacing and reconstruction, installation of new water mains, storm sewer and drainage structures, replacement of curbs and gutters, new viaduct markings and more.
While project plans call for the work to be wrapped up in one construction season, by mid-November, more likely “I wouldn’t be all surprised if there is some construction next year,” Dave Stoneback, the city’s public works agency director, told residents at a 2nd Ward meeting last week.
The city encountered some delay, waiting word from the state on the Illinois Department of Transportation grants which largely support the project, and officials scrambled to find funds to fill a $2.5 million funding gap.
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Stoneback said it is more realistic that some final touches, including putting in new streetlights and traffic signals, as well as landscaping won’t take place until spring of 2017.
During construction, work will proceed in four phases, some of them overlapping, officials said in a release.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on the streets affected, Stoneback said. With many trucks using that area because of the height of the viaduct, pedestrian vehicles may want to consider Church Street or some other route, looking to go east and west, he said at the meeting.
In the project, officials are aiming to address an elevation difference from Green Bay Road coming south and Ridge Avenue going north, making left turns onto Emerson Street, a gateway to the city’s thriving downtown a reality.
Consultants proposed some of the changes based on an estimated 150 “conflict points” at the high accident corner.
During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs posted 48 hours prior to the start of the work, officials said. In addition, street cleaning and neighborhood parking restrictions will be waived for a one block radius around the construction zone, they said.
Residents can sign up to receive text message and email notifications regarding the project by visiting cityofevanston.org/ergb, officials said. Residents can also subscribe to text message notifications by simply texting COE ERGB to 468311, officials said.
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