- Since 2013, V3 has been working with the City to develop and implement a downtown revitalization plan. The plan includes a complete streets objective to develop a multimodal plan that will transform the downtown into a user-friendly experience.
- Part of the project included V3 developing alternative streetscape designs to improve the aesthetics of downtown Lockport and to enhance its vitality.
- This project built upon V3’s previous downtown master plan work and also the preliminary streetscape guidelines developed by the City’s Downtown Development Commission (DDC).
PROJECT LIMITS
- The project limits are situated within the City’s historical district and involved coordination and concurrence with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Offices, the Heritage Architecture Commission, Main Street Lockport, I & M Canal Heritage Area-Canal Corridor Association, and the Will County Historical Society. State Street (IL Route 171) and 9th Street (IL Route 7) are both under the jurisdiction of IDOT.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
- The implementation of the plan has been split into multiple phases of construction as well as funding sources. The first phase was IL Route 171 from 8th Street to 10th Street and was implemented and coordinated through IDOT. This phase was completed within the same construction period as IDOT’s IL Route 171/IL Route 7 Intersection improvements. The second phase was IL Route 7 from IL Route 171 to Hamilton and IL Route 171 from 10th Street to 11th Street. This phase was processed through IDOT Local Roads, both for Phase I and II review and approval.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
- The proposed improvements incorporated intersection bump outs and replaced sections of multi-level sidewalk with one level of sidewalk along the streets and business frontages.
- Pedestrian crossing markings and warning lights were added at the intersections of State Street and 8th Street and State Street and 11th Street both of which are unsignalized intersections.
- Aesthetic enhancements included brick paver sidewalks, re-use of limestone outcroppings and planters, bicycle racks, benches with custom laser etch pattern, trash receptacles, and parkway landscaping.
- Electrical enhancements along the corridor included the rehabilitation of existing pedestrian lighting and design of festival and holiday tree lighting system.
- With IDOT Phase I and II Engineering approval, V3 identified and applied for STP-L and ITEP funds on behalf of the City. The City was awarded nearly $2 million in funding to implement the second phase of the revitalization plan.
- V3 provided construction support and on-going construction oversight for various components of the project. The first phase of the improvements (State Street from 8th Street to 10th Street) was awarded the APWA Public Works 2020 Project of the Year: Southwest Branch for transportation projects in the $5- to $25-million range.
