Eastern Avenue Finally Open—Yes, Really: Manhattan Mayor

MANHATTAN, IL — It will almost be disappointing to see the memes and snark stop—but it's about that time, Manhattan. Eastern Avenue has finally reopened as of Wednesday morning, Mayor Mike Adrieansen said.

The one-mile extension and reconstructed road from Baker to Smith roads was guaranteed contractually to be re-opened by Nov. 30, Mayor Mike Adrieansen said in November 2023, but there was a bit of a holdup. The Village was waiting on the jurisdictional transfer of a portion of Baker Road, which would permit officials to create a four-way stop at the intersection. What seemed a simple step when the Board of Trustees began the plight in November 2023, turned into a months-long, well, bit of a debacle. The wait inspired memes and chatter on local social media, with residents wondering if they'd ever see the road accessible to cars.

The freshly paved road has seen sunshine, rain, snow, sleet and ice—but not car tires, until Wednesday, when the transfer of 2,100 feet of Baker Road had finally gone through, and officials were able to install the stop signs.

"While I appreciate all the memes about Eastern Ave and enjoyed them, I just received the approval from IDOT for our Jurisdictional transfer of Baker Road," Adrieansen shared on social media. "I would like to thank JB and the Manhattan Township for working with the village to provide an additional thoroughfare for our residents to travel. Our public works will be out this morning making sure the road is clear and installing the stop signs. This has been a long project but will be a great addition for our community."

Adrieansen said in November that safety is a priority at the intersection, and that he wanted the four-way stop to be in place before the road reopens.

"If we can get this done," Adrieansen said, "I’d much rather have a four-way stop."

The Village in May 2023 approved the rebuilding and reopening of Eastern Avenue, from Baker to Smith Road, bringing back another north/south entry point and connection to neighboring New Lenox. Work was projected to be completed within two months, Adrieansen said.
The extension "is a great thing happening," the mayor said.

"It will create a safer route for our residents and young drivers."

The portion of road was closed approximately 20 years ago due to its poor condition, Adrieansen previously told Patch. Reopening the stretch increases access to and from Manhattan, as a third north/south corridor along with Cedar Road and US 52. The reopening is essential as Manhattan grows, Adrieansen said, and was a top priority for him following his election.

"With all the truck traffic and the increased amount of traffic, we thought that this would be a safer route for our residents," Adrieansen told Patch in May, "especially young residents first getting their license."

The stretch will give residents another route to Lincoln-Way West High School, specifically, he said.

PT Ferro won the bid for the project, at a price tag of just under $1.3 million. The contract with the company required that the work be completed by Nov. 30, 2023. They fulfilled that obligation, but the road remained blocked as the Village awaited the transfer.

Two crashes in May also emphasized the need for the road's reopening. A three-car crash on US 52 at Baker Road that had traffic backed up and rerouted subsequently led to another crash at Cedar and Smith roads, when a driver detoured from the first crash.

The sequence and locations of the two crashes pointed to the necessity of reopening Eastern Avenue from Baker to Smith Road, as another north-south corridor in and out of Manhattan, Police Chief Jeff Wold told Patch. Will County has also since made the intersection of Cedar and Smith roads a four-way stop.

"Opening Eastern Avenue will reduce the traffic on 52, and reduce the traffic on Cedar, and if there is a situation that would cause Cedar or 52 to close, it would give at least two ways to get out of town, heading north toward New Lenox," Wold said at the time.

Adrieansen said he hopes the four-way stop, 35 mph speed limit, and heavy speed monitoring will help keep the road safe.

"Thank everyone for your patience while we worked through the process to get Jurisdictional transfer," Adrieansen said Wednesday. "This is a good addition for our community."