Sidewalk-Short Elmhurst Area To Get More

ELMHURST, IL – Most of Elmhurst has sidewalks, but a big exception is the northeast side, where few exist.

On Monday, the City Council is set to vote on approving a contractor for a sidewalk on five blocks of Crestview Avenue, from York Street to Van Auken Avenue.

The city received nine bids for the project, with Chicago-based Nardulli Construction Co. coming in lowest, at $224,000.

Officials had also talked about getting sidewalks for Indiana and Van Auken streets.

In a message to Patch on Friday, Alderman Michael Bram, who represents the northeast side, said Van Auken and Indiana are still in next year's capital budget. But he said the city has no plan as of now for when they will be built.

The money for the Crestview sidewalk is coming out of the North York Street tax increment financing district, which is designed to improve the area.

The city says it is focused on streets that are considered important for students walking to school.

Earlier this year, the council approved a 40-year master plan to get sidewalks on every street, although not all residents are fans.

The overwhelming majority of streets south of North Avenue have sidewalks. But the city's northeast corner is almost entirely without them. The same goes for parts of northwest Elmhurst.