Project Overview

The Howard Street project consisted of roadway patching and resurfacing, implementation of a road diet between Waukegan Road and Caldwell Avenue (narrowing of the pavement to one through lane in each direction), construction of on-street and off-street bicycle facilities, filling in sidewalk gaps, widening of Howard Street at Waukegan Road to provide separate left turn lanes, roadway lighting, traffic signal modernization at three intersections and other improvements. CBBEL prepared an addendum to the original approved Phase I Project Report which separated pedestrians from bicyclists and reduced the number of parcels necessary for land acquisition to 14 from 71. The addendum also removed the need to construct a new bridge to carry pedestrians and bicyclists over the North Branch of the Chicago River.

This project improved pedestrian and bicycle access to the FPDCC’s North Branch Trail and the Village of Niles’ “Touhy Triangle”, which, when fully developed, will be an entertainment district with shopping, restaurants and a large greenway with live music.