Three Proviso Suburbs Awarded County Funding For Transportation Projects

The intersection of 25th Avenue and St. Charles Road in Bellwood. The county recently awarded the village, in partnership with the Cook County County Department of Transportation and Highways, $231,000 to fund design engineering services for the St. Charles Road Improvement Project. | File 

Sunday, March 27, 2022 || By Community Editor || @maywoodnews 

Earlier this month, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved additional funding for three transportation projects in Proviso Township. 

In a statement released March 18, officials with the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways said projects on major commercial corridors in Bellwood, Northlake and Melrose Park are among roughly a dozen across the county slated to receive the funds. 

Bellwood partnered with the county transportation department “to begin work associated with their $231,000 award for design engineering services for the St. Charles Road Improvement Project, which will connect residential and commercial areas in the village,” transportation department officials said. 

“To bring this corridor up to today’s design standards and best serve the community’s needs, the project will resurface the roadway, repair existing drainage and pavement structures as well as sidewalk replacement.” 

In Melrose Park, the county awarded $566,000 for the construction and construction engineering for safety improvements at IL-64 (North Avenue) and George Street,” officials said. “Improvements include a realigned intersection, new traffic signals, sidewalks, ADA ramps and a bike path.” 

And in Northlake, the city partnered with the transportation department on “work associated with their $70,000 award for the land acquisition necessary for the intersection improvements at North Avenue and Railroad Avenue,” officials explained. 

“This area is a central trucking corridor within the village. This project will improve the movement of trucks by implementing modern design standards. Improvements include adding a southbound right turn lane, ADA sidewalk upgrades and new pedestrian crossing signals,” they said. 

In a statement, Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar, whose 16th District encompasses those suburbs, called the infrastructure funding “historic,” adding that the projects “will impact our residents’ lives for the better for years to come.” 

Commissioner Aguilar added that the funding “will be critical to our continued re-opening of our communities, allowing residents and their family and friends to take advantage of all that these wonderful 16th District cities, towns and villages have to offer.”