Algonquin officials are considering spending $6.3 million next fiscal year on improvements that would kick-start the village’s downtown streetscape plan.
The village last year decided to move forward with a $30 million downtown facelift phased in over several years that would replace bridges, widen walkways, update outdoor gathering spaces and reconstruct streets to slow traffic.
The long-term goal, officials said, is to make the downtown more pedestrian friendly and aesthetically pleasing. But first, the village needs to upgrade its aging infrastructure to keep the area viable for years to come, Assistant Village Manager Mike Kumbera said.
Downtown improvements proposed for 2017-2018 include replacing water mains and sewer systems and burying the overhead utilities throughout the downtown. Those projects would cost the village $3.5 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
“Before we put the nice stuff over top, we’re going to take care of what’s needed underground,” Kumbera said.
Additional engineering services also included in the proposed budget would help plan for future project phases, such as adding bike paths, parking, artwork and streetlights.
If all goes well, Kumbera said, the village would be laying the groundwork for implementing more noticeable, aboveground changes in upcoming years.
“It’s the first step, and obviously it’s not the pretty stuff, but it’s the necessity,” he said. “We want to do it once and do it right. This is just part of the process, and we’re excited to see it moving ahead.”
The downtown projects are included in a roughly $17.2 million capital budget proposed for next fiscal year, which begins May 1.
With those capital improvement funds, the village plans to spend about $203,000 to install a fiber optic infrastructure at the Algonquin Corporate Park, which Kumbera said would help spur economic development in that area along Corporate Parkway off Randall Road.
A roughly $2 million road resurfacing project in the Glenmoor subdivision is also planned for 2017-2018, as is the next phase of a design engineering study to build a pedestrian underpass beneath Randall Road.
The village board is expected to vote on the budget this spring.
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