Main Street (IL 83) & Busse Avenue Pedestrian Improvements

Project Map

Project Overview

Many pedestrians visiting local businesses cross IL 83 (Main Street) daily without the protection of a crosswalk. And with the addition of nearby housing, restaurants, shopping & entertainment, we can expect to see even more pedestrian activity in our downtown in the future. To that end, the Village desires
to install a crosswalk across Main Street to enhance safety for pedestrians.

To receive approval and a permit from IDOT, they will require the construction of a center island for pedestrians to cross safely in one direction at a time. They will also require eliminating left turns from southbound IL 83 (Main Street) onto eastbound Busse Avenue and left and through movements on westbound Busse Avenue.

The Village is working with IDOT to receive final approval on the project’s design. Once IDOT approval is received, construction will take place this summer. There are available funds in the 2024 Village Budget for the work.

Project Background

Improvements to this intersection were first identified in the 2013 Downtown Implementation Plan to increase pedestrian access and safety to the “Triangle” site that is bounded by IL 83 (Main Street), the alley north of Busse Avenue, Wille Street, and US 14 (Northwest Highway). The plan calls for intersection improvements consisting of:

New landscaped median to calm traffic
Pedestrian Crosswalk striping and refuge island

Once this plan was adopted, the Village retained a consultant to conduct a study of the intersection to determine the best way to implement pedestrian improvements. The report is attached to this memo. With the alternative report complete, the Village proceeded with detailed design and IDOT coordination.

Plans were first submitted to IDOT in 2018; approval is expected in the spring of 2024. The back and forth with IDOT was due to negotiations with IDOT related to turn restrictions, median island size, and access to Village streets. The Village desired to maintain as much access as possible to local streets. The final design represents the requirements of IDOT to receive their approval. No changes to the plans will be allowed by IDOT as the Village must comply with all State requirements for permit approval.

The Village also sought to install rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) like the ones installed on Central Road at Weller Lane (Melas Park), but IDOT denied that request due to the close proximately of the crosswalk to the intersection with US 14 (Northwest Highway) and the Union Pacific Railroad Crossing. Intersection spacing is also why IDOT denied RRFBs at the recently installed crosswalk at Central Road and Emerson Street.

Project Schedule

Project Updates

Documents

FAQs

What changes to access be required as part of this project?

Vehicles traveling southbound IL 83 (Main Street) will no longer be able to turn left onto eastbound Busse Avenue. Instead, they will need to turn left onto eastbound Central Road then turn right onto southbound Emerson Street.

Vehicles traveling westbound Busse Avenue will only be able to turn right onto northbound IL 83 (Main Street). Vehicles that would normally head southbound on IL 83 or through to continue on westbound Busse Avenue will instead have to travel to the intersection of US 14 (Northwest Highway) and Emerson Street and turn right onto US 14 (northwest Highway) to travel to the intersection of US 14 (Northwest Highway) and IL 83 (Main Street) to continue on their journey. See the map showing new traffic patterns in the DOCUMENTS section.

Contacts