Sidewalk work beginning for Downer Place project
Beacon-News Staff August 17, 2012 12:44PM
Updated: September 20, 2012 6:18AM
AURORA — The next phase of the Downer Place bridge construction project — replacing the sidewalks, curbs and gutters between the two Downer Place bridges — is set to begin Monday.
Landscaped areas, rain gardens, wider sidewalks and shorter, pedestrian-friendly brick crosswalks will be installed along the downtown street.
The city will construct rain gardens on the two south side corners of the Downer Place and Stolp Avenue intersection. The rain gardens will remove pollutants from storm water by filtering the runoff through native plantings and engineered soils before finding its way into the Fox River, city officials said. The project is being paid in part with a $70,000 Illinois Green Infrastructure Grant Program sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
A majority of the streetscape work is expected to be completed by mid-November. Plantings and the installation of brick crosswalks will be finished next spring.
During the construction, there will be access to local businesses, although temporary sidewalk closures will be unavoidable during certain construction periods.
Downtown businesses with questions about the project are asked to call Brad Thompson with HR Green, the Downer Place bridge construction manager, at 815-693-8905 or City Engineer Lonnie Avery at 630-256-3200.
For updates on the project, visit www.aurora-il.org.
