Villa Park approves $811,804 engineering contract for Ardmore Avenue Phase 1; public input and traffic counts planned

The Village of Villa Park Board of Trustees on Jan. 27 authorized a professional engineering agreement with Civil Tech Engineering Inc. of Itasca, Illinois, for preliminary engineering services for the Ardmore Avenue Improvement Project, Phase 1, in an amount not to exceed $811,804.

The agreement covers a corridor study and preliminary design for Ardmore Avenue from Illinois Route 38 (Roosevelt Road) to Illinois Route 64 (North Avenue). Village staff and trustees said the phase will cover the three separately funded construction segments as a single, coordinated phase 1 so environmental analysis, survey work and public outreach can be handled together.

Village Manager Harling told trustees the project has construction funding through the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) delivered via CMAP and the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference (DMMC) but that the village must locally fund phase 1 and most design work to be eligible for the federal construction dollars. Public Works Director Michael Guerra said the village asked the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to allow one combined phase 1 for efficiency and IDOT approved that approach.

Why it matters: the project will reconstruct portions of Ardmore identified for safety, pedestrian and bicycle access improvements and signal timing optimization. Trustees and staff said the corridor includes institutional destinations such as Lufkin Park and the train station; public input will guide bike/pedestrian facility choices and crossing treatments.

Trustees and staff described the intended public outreach and technical work. Guerra said the scope includes expanded traffic studies, targeted video counts that can record bicyclists and pedestrians, and at least two public input sessions: an early meeting this spring to gather concerns and a later meeting after preliminary designs are developed. Guerra said traffic-counting and video data collection are planned for April–May to capture school and park activity.

Public comment focused on rail crossings and connectivity. Resident Joe Amore, speaking as a member of the village bike, pedestrian and transit subcommittee and as a longtime railroad employee, urged the village to coordinate the Ardmore study with existing grade-separation feasibility work and to “elevate” railroad and Illinois Commerce Commission coordination. He asked that the consultant include traffic counts at the Union Pacific/Canadian National crossing and on Villa Avenue so the village can measure diversion effects if an underpass or separation is later built.

Trustees pressed staff on sequencing, traffic control and community outreach. Harling and Guerra said construction sequencing and whether partial closures will be needed will be determined in design; the project team prefers to maintain traffic where possible and use shifted lanes during curb/bike-lane work but final phasing will be set in later design stages. Trustees asked that notices and meeting schedules be shared early; Guerra said the village will post notices on its website and social channels, send letters to corridor residents and use the Village Recreation Center for outreach meetings.

Funding and schedule: the village received STP construction allocations across three fiscal years for separate segments: construction funding for the central segment (Madison to St. Charles) in 2026, the north segment (North Avenue to St. Charles) in 2027 and the remaining segment (Illinois 83 to Madison) in 2028. Guerra said these awards dictate the construction sequence; the combined phase 1 will prepare all three segments for later design and IDOT-controlled construction funding. Trustees were told the $811,804 engineering agreement is locally funded and covers preliminary engineering for the whole corridor.

The board approved the resolution by voice and roll-call vote. Trustee Patrick made the motion; Trustee Kumar seconded.

Community next steps: staff said the village will schedule at least two public input meetings, run enhanced traffic and pedestrian counts in spring, and coordinate with IDOT, DMMC, CMAP and railroad agencies as part of the phase 1 deliverables.

Ending: With the contract authorized the village will launch the consultant kickoff and begin outreach and data collection; trustees said they expect to receive periodic updates as phase 1 progresses and before any construction package is submitted to IDOT for the STP-funded construction years.