ROCKFORD — One of the roughest stretches of roadway in the city is set to get a complete makeover starting this spring, and the major construction project will do more than create a smooth driving surface.
The city will spend the next two years completely rebuilding about a mile of infrastructure on Whitman and School streets from Underwood Street to Court Street.
The project also includes replacing a 100-year-old water main that is undersized in some places, replacing lead service lines, addressing issues with flooding with storm sewer improvements and working with Four Rivers Sanitation Authority to replace sanitary sewers. There will also be new curb and gutter, new sidewalks, new traffic signals and a multiuse path.
The stretch will also go on a so-called “road diet,” reducing it from two lanes in each direction to three lanes across. The city says that is intended to help control speeds and improve safety.
“It’s a comprehensive public infrastructure improvement,” said Kyle Saunders, the city’s director of public works. “This is one of the largest sales tax funded project in our (Capital Improvement Plan).”
The city is expected to award a $9.6 million construction contract to N-Trak of Loves Park to handle the work. The bid came in 28% below the engineer’s estimate. Saunders credits that to getting bids out early. The city’s Finance and Personnel Committee will consider approving the contract Monday night.
If approved by the full council, the goal will be to begin work by April, Saunders said.
“We want to get started as early this construction season as possible,” Saunders said.
The city’s pavement condition index ranks Whitman, which turns into School near Kilburn Avenue, as one of the worst in the city.
“One of the biggest advocates for this project is our street division because right now that is the number one street for pothole requests,” Saunders said. “That road has not been touched since the 1960s when it was constructed.”
Mayor Tom McNamara grew up blocks from the street and still lives a few blocks away. He called it a horrible stretch of roadway where construction is long overdue.
He said that the project signifies another investment by the city in the west side of town, following improvements to West State Street, North Main Street, South Main Street and planned improvements to Auburn Street.
“It’s significant because for so long the west side has been forgotten, and I think this council has made it a priority to invest in west and southeast Rockford,” McNamara said. “When folks see the city investing in their neighborhoods, they too invest. It’s contagious.”
Roundabout and bike path
The intersection at Whitman and Ridge Avenue will be converted into a single-lane roundabout as part of the project. That’s unlike the multilane roundabout on Rockford’s North End at Auburn and Main streets, which has been a source of numerous crashes.
“That single-lane roundabout will be able to handle the traffic volume safely, but also now we don’t have those long-term legacy costs of signals,” Saunders said. “You’re also going to be able to go northbound on Ridge now, if you’re heading eastbound on Whitman. That movement has not existed for a long time.”
Saunders said the city has three other single-lane roundabouts.
“All are very effective at moving cars safely through intersections,” he said. “We have very few concerns from an accident or safety standpoint.”
The multiuse path running along the roadway will serve as a key connection for cyclists and other users to get across the city, and it provides another safe route for students of two schools in the area.
The path connects with the Mel B. Anderson recreation path to the downtown Rock River Recreation Path.
“We’re going to basically be able to connect northwest Rockford all the way to east Rockford,” Saunders said. “If you start looking at what we’re going to do with (paths along) Highcrest and the Perryville Path this is a huge connection for us.”
Construction is expected to last until fall 2025 and be handled in two phases. The western portion of the project from roughly Rockton to Underwood will happen this summer, and the road will be closed during construction. The eastern portion happens in spring and summer 2025.
