Normal is going forward with a $175 million Community Investment Plan (CIP) that includes $85 million for Transportation and $31 million for capital equipment over the next six years. The CIP prioritizes capital investments. The Normal Town Council reviews the capital projects and they are then included in the town’s budget which council approves in March.
The $85 million for transportation includes road and bridge projects, as well as sidewalks, traffic signals and ADA ramp construction. $27 million is budgeted for the Uptown Underpass and $10 million for College Ave. Other significant projects include Kerrick Rd., Adelaide St. and Ft. Jesse Rd. Another large project is improvements for the Savannah Grove Subdivision.
Cities 92.9 spoke with Public Works Director Ryan Otto regarding some of these projects.
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Kerrick Rd.
Otto said, “Kerrick Rd. is from Main Street east to the trail essentially and will be constructed in various phases. Right now we are working on phase one which will improve the road to a three lane section up to what is essentially the entrance to the new Phoenix warehouse there.”
A traffic signal will also be installed at Main St. and Kerrick Rd. as part of that project.
W. College Rd.
“Right now we are projecting a bidding date on that probably in November,” Otto told us. “And so you probably won’t see any dirt flying out there until probably spring of 24. So we would probably start utility relocates and things next winter and then go from there in replacing the whole road from White Oak Rd. all the way out to Rivian.”
“The four lane section now will remain a four lane section and then east of the four lane section what is now a two lane section will become a three lane section,” Otto said.”
Adelaide St.
“That will be a thick overlay and sidewalk improvements,” Otto described. “We are working on getting grant agreements approved and the timing on that will depend on when those are provided by the state.”
Savannah Grove Subdivision
Otto said, Right now we are looking at phasing. That’s an active neighborhood. We have got to keep getting people in and out so we are looking at how to phase not only the alley improvements but also the street improvements in that. Some streets will be completely removed and replaced. Some of the alleys as well. Some of it will be patching.”
Ft. Jesse Rd.
“That involves two intersections both Landmark at Ft. Jessie and Ft. Jesse at Greenbriar Dr.,” Otto explained. So we will be installing traffic signals and some radius widening at those locations to accommodate some of the truck traffic we see.”
Resurfacing
We asked Otto what he would like to highlight and he chose resurfacing saying, “One of the things I think town staff and the council can be proud of is the increase in resurfacing funding, significant increase. I think the number there is a 40% increase which is very significant. So that’s one of the things that I think I am most proud of.”
