‘Layering’ progress over the summer months

With the summer season officially beginning this weekend, we can provide some project benchmarks based on the key markers of summertime: Memorial Day will see the end of deep excavations and tons of heavy equipment. Outer blocks will be resurfaced and begin reopening to traffic by late June. Then by late July, detailed brickwork will start—and the beautiful streetscape will really take shape to the visible eye.

1. New water service imminent. Oak Park’s new water main now awaits final approval from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. All construction work passed initial testing, so water service transfers to the new main may begin later next week pending IEPA approval.

2. Electrical work surges forward. Removal of existing lighting infrastructure and installation of temporary lighting continues as crews prepare for the installation of new lighting facilities between Pleasant and Lake Streets.

3. So why will everything take six more months to complete? It’s all about layers, not unlike a cake.

• The first (and deepest) layer was all underground installations (water and sewer).

• The next layer up, best described as ‘other infrastructure,’ includes electric infrastructure, traffic lights and roadway (irrigation, concrete, curbs, asphalt). This layer has kicked off, will take three to four months to complete, and requires coordination with AT&T to replace, splice and cross-connect cable infrastructure dating back to the 1930s and 1940s.

• The top layer—in the final months—includes all the fine details, ranging from hand-laid brick paver installation, to landscaping and ‘light-scaping’ throughout the Hemingway District.

Each layer requires coordinated crews (electrical, construction, and so forth), completing tasks and working in a linear progression all along the roadway through to completion.