Village Board To Discuss Central Business District Streetscape And Utility Improvements Project

Press release from the Village of Glen Ellyn:

On Tuesday, October 13, the Capital Improvements Commission (CIC) met via Zoom to discuss parking and outdoor dining options as part of the Central Business District Streetscape and Utility Improvements project. The project team felt it was important to revisit outdoor dining options and parking considerations on Crescent Boulevard and Main Street as the pandemic has changed the way businesses, particularly restaurants, are using sidewalks and parking spaces. At last night’s meeting, the consultant team presented several parking and dining layouts for consideration. The CIC took into account how parallel and angled parking affect the sidewalk width and the furniture zone and whether a flex street may be beneficial on a portion of Main Street.

The CIC weighed the current needs of businesses, as well as the long-term investment of the streetscape project. After careful deliberation, the CIC recommended parallel parking on Main Street (north of the tracks) to allow for wider sidewalks. In addition, the CIC is open to exploring a flex street on a portion of Main Street (south of the tracks). A flex street prioritizes pedestrians and allows for more space for events and outdoor dining, when needed. The CIC viewed rough concepts for street canopy/coverings and suggested further exploration of this idea. The CIC recommended angled parking on Crescent (east of Main St) and reiterated the importance of creating a welcoming, tree-lined street on Crescent due to its prominent location along the train tracks. The CIC recommendations will be presented at the next Village Board Workshop on Monday, October 19 at 7 p.m.

The Village is installing several streetscape materials options at the northwest corner of Main Street and Crescent Boulevard. The installation is anticipated to be complete the week of October 19. Businesses and the public will have the opportunity to vote on their preferred sidewalk material, tree planter curb and decorative parkway material at downtownge.com or in-person by filling out a survey available at the Civic Center. The Village board and staff will consider durability, maintenance, cost, aesthetic and public opinion when making the final decision on materials for the Downtown Streetscape and Utility project.

Visit the project website to stay up to date on the Central Business District Streetscape and Utility project.

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This press release was produced by the Village of Glen Ellyn. The views expressed here are the author’s own.