Schools on both ends of huge Glen Ellyn road project

On one end sits a middle school. On the other ends sits a high school. In the middle is a $3.8 million road reconstruction project scheduled to begin next month in Glen Ellyn.

The challenge, village officials said Monday night, is to make sure the rebuilding of the mile long stretch of Hawthorne Blvd. is done with as little impact as possible to students, parents and teachers.

The east-west road just north of the village’s downtown, from Glenbard West High School at Ellyn Avenue, to Hadley Junior High School at the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton border, will be reconstructed to include underground improvements in water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems. One block of Pleasant Avenue will also be reconstructed.

Construction is expected to begin in mid-April in the middle, while work near Hadley (west of Kenilworth Avenue) and near Glenbard West (east of Main Street) will take place between June and mid-August.

There’s also a planned 10-day hiatus near the Lake Ellyn Park area around the Fourth of July to minimize disruptions to annual events such as the cardboard boat regatta, parade, picnic and fireworks.

“The deadlines created from the schools at both ends of Hawthorne will leave no room for an error in the timeline, so support will be needed for the timing to be precise,” said Julius Hansen, the village’s public works director, in a memo to the village board.

The street’s width will remain at 21 feet — despite an earlier recommendation from the village engineer and capital improvements commission to widen it to 22 feet. In August, the village board sided with many residents who argued that the width should stay the same. Residents argued the widening could force trees and utility poles to be taken down.

On Monday, the board formally approved a construction contract with Addison-based R.W. Dunteman Company for $3,840,000 — to reflect the firm’s low bid that came in 14 percent below the initial estimated project cost.

A $398,625 contract with Itasca-based Civiltech Engineering was also approved for engineering services.

Trustee Phil Hartweg, who lives on Hawthorne Blvd., said he’s looking forward to the project.

“I think everyone will appreciate the improvements being made,” he said. “It’s well overdue.”

Construction is expected to be complete by mid-October.