Itasca board directs designers to pursue one‑way Orchard and wider sidewalk as preferred streetscape

The Village of Itasca on June 3 directed designers to move forward in the next phase of design with a streetscape plan for Orchard and Maple streets that favors option 3 — a one‑way eastbound circulation on Orchard combined with a wider sidewalk and an amenity zone — while preserving the option to convert back to two‑way traffic later.

Consultants from Hitchcock Design Group presented three preliminary options for the blocks adjacent to the Itasca Station development. Tim King of Hitchcock Design Group said the firm was asked to “take a look at the streetscape” and presented an "optimized" rebuild (option 1), a parallel‑parking scenario that prioritizes space for trees and outdoor dining (option 2) and a one‑way system that preserves parking while maximizing sidewalk width (option 3). He said, in option 1, the design would provide "a clear walking zone of about 6 feet 6 inches," option 2 would deliver an 11‑foot clear walk plus an 8‑foot amenity zone for trees and furnishings, and option 3 would provide about a 12 foot 6 inch clear walk with the same 8‑foot amenity zone.

Why it matters: board members said they want a more pedestrian‑friendly downtown frontage in front of the new restaurant and mixed‑use development while avoiding vehicle backups over the nearby railroad tracks. The discussion balanced parking capacity, sidewalk quality and railroad safety, and ended with the board asking staff and Hitchcock Design to continue final design work on option 3 while keeping conversion to a two‑way cross‑section technically possible.

Most important facts and supporting details: - The consultants reported the combined Orchard/Maple frontage currently has about 35–39 parking spaces, four of which are accessible. Option 1 would remove one parking space to add crosswalks; option 2 would trade eight parking spaces for wider sidewalks and amenity zones; option 3 would retain the existing parking count while widening the pedestrian zone. Those figures were presented as preliminary counts by the consultants. - Traffic analysis: Mark (traffic consultant working with Peralta/Pea r l Clark in the presentation) summarized a traffic study performed for the village. He told the board that under a full build‑out scenario the intersections operate acceptably but that two‑way circulation increases the potential for backups over the railroad tracks. He said a one‑way conversion removes the left‑turn conflict that can cause the stack to extend over the tracks, and found the intersection delay differences between options to be small (for example, a 7–8 second left‑turn delay under build‑out versus minimal delay with the one‑way conversion in the primary northbound approach). He said: "With a one‑way conversion, there's no delay for northbound traffic" at the key movement because the left‑turn is removed. - Construction cost order‑of‑magnitude estimates presented by Hitchcock: Option 1 about $1.2 million; option 2 about $1.4 million; option 3 about $1.45–1.5 million. Consultants said these are preliminary estimates with contingencies and allowances included and that final engineering would refine costs. The team described design and contingency allowances in the cost worksheet (for example, a design/engineering allowance and separate construction contingency percentages were included in the spreadsheet presented to the village). - Utilities: staff noted a water main replacement along Orchard and Maple is already designed and will be installed; consultants said they are coordinating street geometry with the water main and hydrant placement. Consultants and public works staff said hydrants will be located on the north side and one will be placed near Maple & Orchard as part of the ongoing utility work. - Funding: consultants confirmed the proposed streetscape work is TIF‑eligible; staff explained that because the TIF currently has limited cash, the village would front the cost from capital or other governmental funds and be reimbursed as TIF revenues become available.

Board direction and next steps: Mayor Carrie Anne Perrine summarized the discussion and said, "based on the feedback, we would be looking at moving forward with the wider sidewalk with option 3 that includes the one way," while asking the consultant to preserve the option to convert back to two‑way if future development or circulation needs require it. Staff will proceed with final design and engineering, coordinate schedules with the adjacent Holiday Properties construction, and return to the board with final plans and a bid package before construction.

Voices quoted in this report are drawn only from those who spoke on the record during the streetscape presentation and discussion.