Oak Park considers spreading bike boulevard build over two years to save roughly $1.5M in 2026
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Summary
To trim near-term capital spending and preserve grant eligibility, the finance committee discussed deferring part of the bike boulevard build from 2026 into 2027; staff said design is substantially complete and splitting construction is feasible without sacrificing grant funds.
Village Engineer Bill McKenna told trustees the bike boulevard program is largely designed and that moving some construction from 2026 into 2027 could reduce 2026 capital spending by about $1.5'$1.7 million while preserving Cook County grant funds. He said a $1.5 million FY2026 program would be large enough to realize the grant without forfeiting the county contribution.
Trustees discussed priorities and connectivity: McKenna said staff would prioritize east'west and north'south segments to preserve network utility and avoid building segments that lack connecting links. He also said some work (flashing beacons, intersection improvements) will proceed because the village is already out for bid on some contracts.
Trustees cautioned against deferring signal-timing modernization tied to Vision Zero safety improvements. Staff said some signal upgrades (fiber, video detection) are infrastructure investments that also enable cyclist detection and improved safety timing, and recommended preserving funding for those signal improvements even if the bike boulevard striping is spread over two years.
The committee asked staff to consult the transportation commission on prioritization and to report back with an implementation plan and any needed adjustments prior to the Village Board packet.