Grand Avenue is about to get a major makeover. The city announced on Saturday that construction crews have started rebuilding a 1.5-mile stretch of Grand Avenue from Pulaski Street to Chicago Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The work, which is part of the Grand Avenue reconstruction project, includes widening the roadway, building new sidewalks and ADA ramps, and upgrading eight traffic signals. This is the fifth of eight scheduled phases of construction taking place along Grand Avenue between Fullerton and Des Plaines.
According to the city, the $13.6 million project will help revitalize the area. In a press release, 26th Ward Alderman Roberto Maldonado said the work represents a much-needed investment in his ward. “It sets the stage for businesses to grow and create jobs and will make it easier and safer for everyone who uses this corridor whether they are in vehicles or on foot.” A number of green elements are also included in the project, such as planting 149 trees, adding new energy-efficient LED street lighting and installing permeable sidewalks. The city added that the permeable surfaces will cover 20 percent of the area.
The project, which kicked off the 2017 road construction season, is scheduled to be completed later this year. During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Closure of the railroad viaduct at Grand and Homan this summer will require a detour via Division and Kedzie. When it's completed, the full Grand Avenue reconstruction project will rebuild the roadway, construct new sidewalk and install new lighting from Des Plaines Street to Fullerton Avenue.
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