Most of downtown Flossmoor’s trees were removed in recent weeks, causing some alarm from visitors who weren’t aware of the details in the village’s streetscape project.
The lack of shade is temporary.
The streetscape plan includes new trees in a new configuration, so downtown Flossmoor will begin to green up again this fall after street and sidewalk work is done. Construction work is expected to start any day.
The project involves an extensive streetscape update that will improve both aesthetics and safety, according to engineers and village officials.
The village hosted an open house on June 18 to showcase the plans and invite residents to ask questions.
Staff from Baxter and Woodman, who designed and will be oversee the project, came to answer residents’ questions and concerns about the streetscape project before it started.
Project manager Matthew Abbeduto said based on several discussions with the contractors and scheduling construction should start near the end of June and continue through July. Construction work has to be completed by Aug. 31, according to village Public Works Director John Brunke.
Once the weather cools some, planting will begin, probably in September or October.
At the open house, residents looked through designs which consisted of new road signs, sidewalks, curbing and landscaping.
Most residents’ questions and concerns were centered on the road signs on Sterling Avenue. Most were interested in getting an overall look and understanding of the plan and schedules for construction.
The village sent an email notice Friday, June 27, with an update on progress.
- Surveyors marked locations of proposed storm sewer work and curb changes.
- Storm sewer cleaning and televising was finished.
- Storm sewer work was delayed until the week of July 7 due to a delay from the supplier of concrete sewer structures and pipes.
- Next week, work will be done locating utilities, tree stumps will be removed and Nicor Gas is expected to finish its work. There might be some parking spots closed and temporary lane closures.
Open for business
Downtown business owners have been concerned about the impact the project will have on their businesses. On June 5, Brunke and Assistant Public Works Director Dan Milovanovic attended the Flossmoor Business Association meeting to review part.
Brunke said the contractor is required to take a number of steps to make sure access to downtown businesses will remain open during construction. Concrete work will be done in stages and during off hours when possible to minimize impact, and if necessary, ramps could be used to allow shoppers to enter stores.
“We don’t want to affect businesses any more than we have to,” Brunke said.
Some parking spots will be unavailable during construction, but the village has compensated by opening parts of the north and south commuter lots for shoppers. Free parking is available in designated areas.
The north lot, which is north of Flossmoor Station and east of the Flossmoor Public Library, has 20 spaces available for three-hour parking Mondays through Fridays. There is also free parking in the Central Drive lot just west of the Post Office. Both commuter lots are open for free public parking on weekends, too.
New look, more safety
Brunke noted some of the details of the project that will refresh the look and feel of the downtown area, including the switch from tree grates to six-inch raised curb planters for trees and shrubbery.
There will be native plants added to the new curb bump-outs that will follow the contours of the plastic bollards that were installed several years ago to improve pedestrian safety.
“This is a really big facelift for the downtown area,” Brunke said.
Milovanovic reminded business owners that improving safety was the original impetus for the project. A vehicle struck three pedestrians in 2017, and village officials have been working on plans and funding since.
In addition to permanent curbs to replace the bollards, a new curb bump-out will be added at the northwest corner of Flossmoor Road and Sterling Avenue. That will cost a couple of parking spaces, but it will help slow down traffic, especially drivers who are temped to zip around the corner heading west on Flossmoor Road.
The reshaped curb there also will shorten the distance pedestrians have to walk to cross Sterling Avenue. The intersection gets has a lot of pedestrian traffic, especially around the times Metra trains arrive and depart from the nearby train station.
Eric Crump and Jamilah Lewis contributed to this story.
More information:
Related stories:
- Flossmoor downtown streetscape makeover to start this spring (March 2, 2025)
- State approves funding for Flossmoor streetscape, 183rd Street road diet projects (April 9, 2023)
- Flossmoor trustees vote on Streetscape grant, as pandemic restrictions evident at meeting (March 9, 2020)
- Flossmoor moving ahead with downtown redevelopment project (Feb. 9, 2019)
- Crosswalks will be removed from traffic island in downtown Flossmoor (May 23, 2018)
- Meeting focuses on Flossmoor downtown traffic concerns (Jan. 15, 2018)
- Flossmoor eyes increased safety measures at downtown traffic circle (Sept. 2, 2017)
