Lake Forest: Deer Path water main finished; streetscape contractor expected to mobilize late April

City officials told the Lake Forest City Council on April 7 that the major water main portion of the Deer Path streetscape project is complete and that the streetscape contractor is expected to mobilize later this month, with some local closures and temporary sidewalks planned.

The city manager and Byron Coutts, superintendent of engineering, said the water main is now live from Green Bay to Western and that the city has reopened Deer Path to two-way traffic between Green Bay and Oakwood. Coutts said final streetscape work is scheduled to begin in about three to four weeks, with the streetscape contractor D Land tentatively mobilizing the week of April 28 pending execution of agreements and IDOT review.

Why it matters: The Deer Path corridor project affects traffic access, parking and local businesses; city staff emphasized coordination with utilities and a community communications campaign aimed at keeping businesses accessible during construction.

Coutts said crews completed the water main contractor’s work in early April, allowing the city to open a section of Deer Path to two-way traffic and to abandon the old main. "The water main is fully live, including all of the services," Coutts said. He told the council the city will install permanent sidewalk west of Oakwood but install thinner, temporary sidewalks east of Oakwood to avoid rework when the streetscape construction begins.

Coutts described utility coordination with North Shore Gas, which is replacing a gas main in the corridor. He said the city began outreach to utilities during design so companies would upgrade facilities before the streetscape work, reducing the chance of later utility cuts through new pavement.

On the project schedule, Coutts said: "April 7 to April 21, North Shore Gas is going to continue. Eastbound traffic only from Oakwood to Western. Then April 28 is when we tentatively think the streetscape contractor, D Land, will probably mobilize." He added the schedule remains subject to IDOT approval and final contract execution.

Staff described planned access and business-support measures: a new "open for business" communications campaign on the Lake Forest Love blog and social platforms; high-visibility short-term parking zones; wagons city staff purchased to shuttle packages for businesses; efforts to retain and transition signal maintenance at Westminster; and outreach through the Chamber of Commerce. Coutts also said the city will close Deer Path completely from Oakwood to Western during a phase of work and that it will reach out to affected residents and businesses ahead of that closure.

The engineering presentation also noted Bank Lane improvements adjacent to Deer Path: the city plans to issue bid documents with an April 29 bid opening, public works committee review May 5 and city council consideration May 19, with tentative construction beginning June 3.

Coutts said the city will continue to provide monthly updates to council and the community as work progresses.

The city did not take formal action on the streetscape at the April 7 meeting; staff said construction mobilization remains contingent on IDOT review and final agreements.