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Council approves consultant design contracts for Hampton Hills and Illinois Street bike-ped improvements
Summary
The city authorized Phase 1 design contracts for Hampton Hills Road improvements and Phase 1/2 design for Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue, advancing work identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan; public comment emphasized missing sidewalk links and downtown parking concerns.
St. Charles council members approved consultant contracts to advance two bicycle and pedestrian projects identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan: Phase 1 engineering for Hampton Hills Road and Phase 1 and 2 design for Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue.
Staff said Hampton Hills Road between Peck Road and Oak Street is a priority corridor where Phase I engineering will evaluate treatments, conduct a preliminary environmental review and produce basic plans suitable for grant applications. The goal is to complete Phase I engineering in time to apply for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) 2026 grant; staff said the grant award would be announced in early 2027 and construction could begin in 2028.
The council received seven proposals for Hampton Hills and selected GFP (noted in the presentation as formerly Transystems) as the most qualified consultant. Committee remarks said GFP previously designed the multi-phase Coutts Road reconstruction and secured substantial grant funding for that project.
On Illinois Street and Illinois Avenue — the corridor between Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue that connects the school, central business district and the library — staff recommended awarding Phase 1 and 2 engineering to Civiltech Engineering. The scope presented includes consideration of shared lanes, dedicated bike lanes east of the river and intersection/realignment improvements at Riverside and Illinois; staff said Civiltech helped create the city's bike-and-ped plan and designed the Illinois mid-block crossing.
Public comment during the meeting reiterated pedestrian and multimodal concerns for those corridors and for downtown access. Resident Tom Anderson praised the recently completed crossings and said the Hampton Hills project will fill a "missing link" where sidewalks are currently lacking, and urged the city to proceed with the phases as needed. Anderson also asked the council to prioritize the Illinois-Riverside intersection, noting crowded pedestrian conditions there. He urged improvement of parking-lot lighting and security cameras at the Baker North lot to better serve downtown merchants and visitors.
Council action and votes - Hampton Hills Road Phase I engineering: motion by Brian, second by Steve; roll call recorded affirmative votes and the resolution passed. - Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue Phase I and II engineering: motion by Steve, second by Bob; roll call recorded affirmative votes and the resolution passed.
Why it matters: Both projects were identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan and are framed as priorities for safety, school access and downtown connections. Staff said completing Phase I engineering strengthens future grant applications and positions the city for external funding.
What remains: Phase I deliverables for Hampton Hills are intended to support the 2026 ITEP grant application; staff gave a 2028 target for the start of construction contingent on funding. The Illinois Street design will advance detailed engineering and intersection improvements for later phases.
Ending: Council approved both consultant selections and instructed staff to proceed with contract execution and next steps toward design and grant readiness.
