City Council’s evaluation of a project that would involve reconstructing a 0.9-mile multi-use trail through the Edward R. Ladd Arboretum was postponed until later this month due to the cancellation of Monday night’s meeting. 

The Public Works Department was scheduled to give a presentation on the history, progress and next steps for the Ladd Arboretum Project, as well as ask the Council’s approval to submit preliminary plans to the Illinois Department of Transportation and proceed with final design and construction plans. The meeting was cancelled due to an expected lack of quorum due to inclement weather, assistant city manager Martin Lyons said. 

The project encompasses renovation of the Ladd Arboretum, 2024 McCormick Blvd., in its entirety, though the department’s prepared presentation focused specifically on the reconstruction of the multi-use trail, which goes through the arboretum from Emerson Street to Green Bay Road. The proposed renovations involve reconstructing the trail to be made of asphalt and be consistently 8 feet wide with 3 feet of clear space on both sides. 

The presentation also identified the path’s surface material, poor drainage, poor connections at street intersections and poor visibility from the street as other problems to be addressed.

In May 2012, the city applied for funding from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program to implement these changes and received $580,000 in January 2013. The department proceeded to collect preliminary data through the summer. Last October, a special committee dedicated to overseeing the project held a neighborhood meeting to discuss preliminary alignment, cross section logistics and paving materials.

Pending City Council’s approval, the department seeks to complete preliminary engineering planning this spring and proceed with construction documentation with IDOT this fall. Proposed construction is planned for summer 2015. 

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