Crestline St. to receive upgrades

Crestline Street from Illinois to Wellesley avenues is on the city’s list for reconstruction this summer as part of a citywide $117 million street repair bond issue approved in 2004.

The 1.4-mile section of pavement will be excavated and the roadbed rebuilt with a new gravel base and asphalt pavement from curb to curb. Most intersections will get new handicapped-accessible curb ramps. No trees are expected to be removed or replaced.

Detour routes have not been determined.

Construction is expected to start this summer and take three months to complete. Engineers at City Hall are estimating the cost at $2 million or more.

The Crestline job is one of five arterial projects slated this year under a 10-year schedule for voter-approved street repairs.

The others this summer include Maple and Ash streets from Northwest Boulevard to Wellesley Avenue; Washington Street from Boone to Buckeye avenues; Sherman Street and Southeast Boulevard from Third Avenue to Perry Street; and 29th Avenue from Southeast Boulevard to Freya Street.

Money is also being spent on residential streets in the Hillyard and Browne’s Addition neighborhoods.

City officials are spacing out the work over the 10 years to minimize inconveniences to drivers, businesses and residents.

Road closure scheduled

The left curb lane of Ash Street from Longfellow Avenue to Wellesley Avenue will be closed to traffic through Sunday, and beginning Monday, Wellesley at Maple Street and Ash Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction, and Maple Street will be closed from Northwest Boulevard to just north of Wellesley Avenue for the next two and a half months. The project will rehabilitate Maple Street and Ash Street from Wellesley Avenue to Northwest Boulevard including replacing miscellaneous water mains, installing a fiber-optic communication system and concrete intersections at Garland and Wellesley avenues. Motorists may want to use an alternate route to avoid delays and traffic congestion.

Public meetings will be held every Friday beginning this week to answer questions or concerns regarding the project. The meetings are at 11 a.m. at the Shadle Park Public Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave.