Downtown Sidewalk Improvement Project

photo of St. Charles Rd facing east in Downtown Lombard

About the Project

Beginning the week of April 17, the Village of Lombard, in partnership with Thomas Engineering, will begin work on the Downtown Sidewalk Improvements Project along St. Charles Road between Craig Place and Elizabeth Street. The project will replace the existing brick pavers with concrete sidewalks and include a trim of decorative brick pavers between the tree vaults and curb. The design will maintain the historic look and feel of downtown while also helping to meet ADA accessibility requirements.

The project also provides the opportunity to increase the variety of tree species, by removing improper species for the area and planting 25 new trees with larger tree vaults. Streetscape amenities, such as benches, garbage cans and bicycle racks will be replaced as part of the project and a covered bicycle corral will be installed near the 7-11 to serve the downtown. 

Timeline

To minimize the impact on businesses and allow for annual downtown events to take place, work will take place in three (3) phases as follows: 

  • Phase 1 (April 17 - June 15): North side of St. Charles Rd. from Elizabeth St. to Main St.
  • Phase 2 (June 16 - August 27):  North side of St. Charles Rd. from Main St. to Craig Place
  • Phase 3 (August 28- November 17):   South side of St. Charles Rd. from Elizabeth St. to Garfield St.

Pending weather and unforeseen circumstances, all work should be complete by the end of November 2023.

Stay Informed

The Village will use this “Notify Me” feature to issue updates on the project, which will be linked below. In addition, notices may be distributed personally to nearby businesses and residential properties as necessary. 


Conceptual Plan

Click here to see the Downtown Sidewalk Conceptual Plan.

Public Information Meetings:

October 3, 2022: A public information meeting regarding the project was held at the Helen Plum Library. You may view the video below to watch the information presented about the project. 


Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why is this project necessary? Due to the age and condition of the brick pavers, the walking surface has become uneven and areas do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  2. How does this benefit the Village? The benefits of the project will be improved pedestrian accommodations, as well as a more current and modern design for the downtown corridor. 
  3. Will this impact traffic and parking? 
    The construction activity has been divided into three phases to minimize the impact on the downtown and allow for continued outdoor activities throughout the summer months. During construction, the parking lane along St. Charles Road will be closed and used for pedestrian movements.  
  4. Why is this project removing trees?

    There are multiple factors that go into the decision to remove a tree. For this project, the major aspects were the ability to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards for the walkway and the overall health of the tree. Along the Downtown corridor, many of the existing trees are not ideal for an urban environment and not well suited for the confined space provided by a tree vault. The Village will be planting trees that are more suitably sized for the environment.  The Village has made efforts to ensure that as many healthy trees as possible will remain in the Downtown.

  5. How many trees are removed in the project?Approximately 40 trees will be removed and 25 trees are planned to be planted.

  6. How many trees does the Village of Lombard maintain?  There are approximately 19,000 parkway trees throughout the Village that the Public Works Department maintains.  A link to the Village’s tree inventory can be found here. 






Additional Information

Design Engineering
Start Date: June 2020
Completion Date: January 2023
Project Manager: Michael Barbier, Civil Engineer II
Engineer: Robinson Engineering
Awarded Contract Amount: $50,180
Funding Sources:  Downtown TIF Funds

Construction
Tentative Start Date: April 15, 2023
Tentative Completion Date: Late October 2023
Project Manager: Michael Barbier, Civil Engineer II
Contractor: R.W. Dunteman Company 
Awarded Contract Amount: $2,864,779.70
Funding Sources: Downtown TIF Funds

Contact Information

Contact: Michael Barbier, Civil Engineer II/
Project Manager, Village of Lombard Public Works
(630) 620-5740 or barbierm@villageoflombard.org.


Project Limits: St. Charles Road between Craig Place and Elizabeth Street
Project: The project involves the construction of new sidewalk along the north side of St Charles Road from Elizabeth Street to Craig Place. (approximately 3,220 feet), in the Village of Lombard. The scope of the work includes sidewalk removal, earth excavation, sidewalk construction, concrete curb & gutter removal and replacement, driveway reconstruction, storm sewer construction, adjustment of drainage structures, parkway restoration, and other incidental and miscellaneous items of work in accordance with the Plans, Standard Specifications, and Special Provisions.

Project Schedule:
Bid Opening - March 7, 2023
Project Award - March 16, 2023
Project Start - April 15, 2023
Stage 1: April 15, 2023-June 15, 2023  North side of St. Charles Rd. from Elizabeth St. to Main St.
Stage 2: June 16, 2023-August 27, 2023  North side of St. Charles Rd. from Main St. to Craig Place
Stage 3: August 28, 2023-October 29, 2023   South side of St. Charles Rd. from Elizabeth St. to Garfield St.
Project Completion - November, 2023