Project Updates

12.02.2022
Guardrail replacement work at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Ellis Street is scheduled to take place late next week.  Pavement markings and roadway signage remain outstanding as well. It is anticipated that all work will wrap up on the project by the end of the year. Landscaping will be re-evaluated in the Spring to ensure satisfactory growth. 

11.11.2022
On Monday October 31, RW Dunteman reopened Eastern Avenue to two-way traffic. The Contractor also completed surface course on HMA driveway patches, sealing of the concrete pavement joints, installation of topsoil, and miscellaneous clean-up work this past week. Over the next couple of weeks, turf restoration will take place with seed and blanket, guardrail repairs will be made at the Ellis Street intersection, and general site clean-up will continue. It is anticipated that work will wrap up on the project by the end of the year.  

10.28.2022
On Wednesday of this week, RW Dunteman has completed installation of all concrete sidewalks, curbs, aprons, and roadway pavement.   By the end of day on Monday October 31, Eastern Avenue will return to two-way traffic.  The Contractor will continue working on hot-mix asphalt driveways, landscape restoration, pavement markings, and miscellaneous clean-up items.  It is anticipated that work will wrap up on the project by the end of the year.

10.13.2022
Over the past week, RW Dunteman has poured curbs, sidewalks and aprons on the available sections of the north side of Eastern Avenue.  On Friday 10/14, the contractor placed the roadway pavement of the north half of the street.  After a few days of cure time and early next week.  The Contractor will move around entrance and dock access to prepare the gaps for concrete.  This past week the Contractor also prepped the south side parkways for landscape restoration.  The Contractor continues to coordinate driveway and dock access with the adjacent businesses, working to minimize impacts and down-time.   It is anticipated that the project will be completed by December, and hopefully the roadway will return to full-width, two-way access in a few weeks.    

10.03.2022
Over the past week, RW Dunteman completed removal of the pavement, curbs, sidewalks, and aprons on the north side of Eastern Avenue. They have begun to remove and replace the roadway subbase, and this work will continue into the first week of October. On Friday, the Contractor is planning to install as much of the new curb and gutter along the northern edge of pavement as possible. The Contractor is coordinating driveway and dock access with the adjacent businesses, working to minimize impacts and down-time.       

09.23.2022
This week, RW Dunteman completed the final gaps that remained from staging access to properties and docks on the south side of Eastern Avenue.  The entire south half of the roadway is now installed.  Traffic has been switched to the south side of new pavement and removal work is beginning on the existing north side pavement, curbs, sidewalks, and aprons.  Eastern avenue remains in a one-way detour in the westbound direction only for this next phase of construction.  Removals, excavation and reconstruction of the north half of the new roadway will take 3-4 weeks, weather depending.  The Contractor will work with businesses to schedule apron and dock removals, similay to how the first half of the roadway was completed.          

09.09.2022
This week RW Dunteman completed a significant portion of curb, sidewalk, apron, and pavement installation on the south side of the roadway.  Next week the contractor will work on completing the gaps that were skipped due to maintaining access to properties and docks on the south side of Eastern avenue by moving some entrances to the newly installed concrete. Completing the first half of the roadway will take another 10 days or so, and once the entire south half of the roadway is installed and permanent access to the south side businesses is competed, traffic will be switched to the new pavement and the same work will happen on the north half of the roadway.     

09.02.2022
This week, RW Dunteman began curb installation on the south side of the roadway.  The contractor also prepared the south half subbase for sidewalks, aprons, and the roadway pavement.  Next week, installation of sidewalks, aprons, and roadway pavement is scheduled to continue.  This first half of the roadway will take a couple of weeks, as the contractor will be coordinating installation with business owners and deliveries.  Once the entire south half of the roadway is installed and permanent access to the south side businesses is competed, traffic will be switched to the new pavement and the same work will happen on the north half of the roadway.  

08.26.2022
The Contractor will begin installation of the southern curb line on Saturday, August 27.  Next week, RW Dunteman will be stage constructing the south curb line, aprons, sidewalks, and the south half of the roadway pavement. With the staging required to maintain access to the businesses on the south side, this concrete work will take about 2 weeks to complete. Once the south half of the roadway is installed and permanent access to the south side businesses is competed, traffic will be switched to the new pavement and the same work will happen on the north half of the roadway.     

08.05.2022
The Contractor has completed all underground work and spent the end of this week laying out survey to begin reconstructing the roadway.  Next week, RW Dunteman will begin excavating the existing roadway subbase for the installation of a new, thicker stone roadway base.  This work is being completed in preparation for new concrete curb and pavement that will be placed.  Once the south half of the roadway is installed and permanent access to the south side businesses is competed, traffic will be switched to the new pavement and the same work will happen on the north half of the roadway.

07.29.2022
Gerardi Sewer & Water, subcontractor to RW Dunteman, has completed installation of the new 12” ductile iron water main and has transferred all businesses from the old water main to the new main.  Next week, the final watermain tie in at Ellis Street will be completed and the existing watermain system will be abandoned.  The Contractor will then have the underground work completed and can begin to reconstruct the roadway.  The mailbox clusters that were placed at the western end of the project  for the USPS to deliver mail have been in place for a week and businesses can once again receive mail.

07.22.2022
Gerardi Sewer & Water, subcontractor to RW Dunteman, has completed installation of the new 12” ductile iron water main and has pressure tested and chlorinated the new main.     They will begin to transfer businesses from the old water main to the new main next week.  Work was also completed on the storm sewers in the roadway this week.  The USPS has notified the Village that they feel the project makes mail delivery impossible and has stopped delivering mail to the businesses in the project limits.   Staff has tried numerous attempts to work with the route supervisor and Postmaster, but they are not willing to return to delivering mail until the roadway is completed.  Mailbox clusters are being placed at the western end of the project for businesses to receive mail.    

07.15.2022
The Eastern Avenue Roadway Reconstruction Project began on July 5th with underground work.  Gerardi Sewer & Water, subcontractor to RW Dunteman, has been working on installation of a new 12” ductile iron water main and new water services to the businesses within the project.  Next week, Gerardi hopes to fill, pressure test, and chlorinate the newly installed water main.  Work will also begin on the storm sewers in the roadway next week.   Eastern Avenue will continue to be one-way in the westbound direction from United Lane to Ellis Street to facilitate construction.  The project is expected to be completed by Fall 2022, and hopefully sooner if the materials suppliers reach resolution with their Operating Engineers.

07.08.2022
Work began this week with Gerardi Sewer & Water, subcontractor to RW Dunteman, installing a new 12” ductile iron watermain.  The Contractor began on the east end of the project and will continue working east towards Ellis Street.  Once the new water main is installed, it will be pressure tested and chlorinated.  Once completed, water service for domestic and fire suppression will be transferred from the old water main to the new water main.   The roadway continues to be one-way in the westbound direction, with traffic utilizing the north half of the pavement.   

06.22.2022
The Strike continues with the local stone producers, but the Village has made other arrangements to allow the start of construction to begin.  Preconstruction activities will begin today in preparation for the start of construction.  The Contractor, RW Dunteman, is beginning to mobilize with the plan to begin construction operations on June 29th.  Businesses will receive “Information Letter #1” today, which can  be found in the “Project Documents” section above.  On Wednesday June 29, Eastern Avenue will go into a one-way detour in order to allow the Contractor the ability to work on one side of the road at a time.  Traffic will only be allowed to travel in the westbound direction from United Lane to Ellis Street for the duration of the project.  Detour signs will be posted. 

06.15.2022
Work on the project is expected to begin the week of June 20th. However, on Tuesday June 7, IUOE Local 150 went on strike against 3 companies that own and operate quarries in Northern Illinois that produce gravel, sand, and crushed stone. These materials are required for construction; they are used as backfill, and to make concrete and asphalt. With this time of year being peak construction season and the unknown of how long the strike will last, there has not been any indication of how severe an impact the strike will have on construction projects. 

The Village is closely monitoring the situation and working with its contractors to minimize the impact on current projects. The contractor for the project is not able to begin work until we are certain materials will be available to complete the project. The Village will do its best to keep residents informed on the progress of work and updates on the strike as it relates to the construction of projects. Thank you for your patience and understanding of any inconveniences during construction, especially now with the added uncertainty of project start and completion.