New noise assessment being conducted for 248th Avenue project in Naperville

A consultant for a Naperville road project is performing a new noise assessment that accounts for plans to build a mosque, multipurpose center, school and gymnasium along 248th Avenue.

The city plans to improve a stretch of 248th Avenue between 95th and 103rd streets. Officials say the goal will be to create a better driving experience for motorists and improve pathways for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction tentatively is scheduled to begin in 2024 and continue for about a year.

This week, officials announced the consultant for the 248th Avenue improvement project is doing a new noise assessment that accounts for traffic from the Islamic Center of Naperville's recently approved construction project along 248th Avenue.

Results from the noise assessment will be posted on the city's website and discussed at two public meetings next Thursday in the city council chambers. The first session will be at 5 p.m. before the Transportation Advisory Board meeting. The second will be during a meeting that begins at 7 p.m.

In November, the Islamic Center of Naperville received unanimous approval from the city council to begin a five-phase, 40-year project to build a mosque, multipurpose center, school and gymnasium on 13 acres of open land at 3540 248th Ave.

Construction will start with the mosque and eventually encompass 121,000 square feet of structures.

Surrounding neighborhoods supported the mosque construction, but they opposed the size, scope, and other aspects of the future phases they believe will add significant traffic congestion and noise to the area. The debate played out over nine months of public hearings. The two sides ultimately reached an agreement when the Islamic Center agreed to several concessions, including a city review of the final three phases.