This project will install a new ten-foot-wide shared-use path and new pedestrian gates at the Canadian National Railroad crossing on Kensington Road. The existing concrete stairs will be replaced with a new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant shared-use path. In addition, pedestrian gates will increase safety at the railroad crossing, and a new culvert under the new path will improve drainage.
The concrete stairs along the north side of Kensington Road have long been an issue for accessible pedestrian and bike travel. The stairs and lack of pedestrian gates are preventing students from riding bikes to schools in the area. There is an existing warning path in the grass that shows bikes using this route in an unsafe way by riding on the shoulder next to traffic.
To address the above issues, the Village of Mount Prospect applied for and received Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in the summer of 2022. The funding received will only support spot improvements with a total length of approximately 300’ to address the abovementioned issues. A separate project will be needed to extend the shared-use path in the future.
To use SRTS funding, the Village must go through the IDOT design process, including a Phase I Engineering Study and Phase II Plan Design, followed by Phase III Construction. The Village will be completing Phase I and Phase II internally. The project will then be bid through IDOT to select a contractor to complete construction.
Canadian National Railroad will complete pedestrian gate installation and reconstruction of the pedestrian crossing separately from the shared-use path construction. The Village is in contact with the Canadian National Railroad and will try to schedule work concurrently to limit disruptions to residents.
