Oak Street work will force North Aurora days to relocate

Questions and concerns about an upcoming road project in North Aurora brought a large crowd to village hall in North Aurora Wednesday as residents had a chance to figure out how the upcoming Oak Street rebuild will affect them.

The $3 million project will begin April 14, temporarily converting a busy two-way street to a one-way west-bound between Route 31 to Randall Road, senior project manager for engineering consultant Rempe-Sharp, Jim Sparber said.

The project will replace the north side of the street first then move to the south side. It may also include a short break in utility services for some residents. Notice will be given at least 24 hours before any break in service, said Mike Glock, public works superintendent.

Jackie Herwig, the secretary to the principal at Goodwin Elementary and wife of Trustee Max Herwig, said the project has the potential to increase tardiness and headaches for parents driving their children to school. She also had concerns that children would be close to a construction zone.

The village allows construction between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on every day except Sundays, which would mean the work would be under way while students are walking to school.

Glock said the crossing guards will still be present and the construction crews would keep a sharp eye on the site to ensure children do not wander too close. He said children walked near a project to replace the water mains on Oak last year without an incident.

Trustees Max Herwig and Mike Herlihy said the project will also move North Aurora Days away from the Clocktower Plaza at the southeast corner of Oak Street and Randall Road.

Herwig said the probable site would be the 4-acre lot the village owns at the corner of Airport Road and Route 31. He said the site, which is the future home of the police station, will be twice the size of the old one and offer the village some flexibility on events.

However, the village is still talking to the owners of neighboring properties about parking, he said.