Oak Park Moves Forward With South Boulevard Redesign

Oak Park officials on Monday approved a Phase I engineering agreement for a project to redesign South Boulevard to have the same look as Marion Street—a go-to spot for festivals and events in downtown Oak Park. 

A Federal Transportation, Community and System Preservation (TCSP) grant for $1.12 million will cover most of the $1.9 million project. The village will be responsible for matching 20 percent of the project's costs, or $281,810, plus an additional $490,000 for underground utility work. 

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Oak Park will pay for the $98,833 agreement for Phase I with Terra Engineering using money remaining in the Capital Improvement Program fund from 2012, which has a balance of $175,674, according to a village staff memo.

According to the memo, the village plans to move through Phase I to Phase II—the design phase—by spring 2014 with construction targeted to begin in 2015. 

When complete, South Boulevard, from Harlem Avenue to Marion Street, will look like South Marion Street, with brick pavement, granite curbs, decorative street lights, benches and planters, according to Terra's scope of work.