Construction Restarting On Lockport’s State Street Project

LOCKPORT, IL – Construction on Lockport’s State Street project has restarted on March 11, the city said. The project is expected to be completed this summer. The city said construction is now beginning on the north side of Ninth Street between Commerce Street and State Street with the removal of the sidewalk, the existing concrete barrier wall and the staircase by Commerce Street, before construction switches to the south side of Ninth Street.

During construction, temporary access to all buildings will be maintained and Ninth Street lanes will be shifted during non-peak traffic hours. This concrete surface work is scheduled to be completed in late spring.

The city said landscaping and finishing work is scheduled to start mid-spring, while the remaining work on State State will happen at the same time as the Ninth Street work.

The project, which began in early 2018, focuses on alleviating traffic congestion, implementing safety improvements at the intersection of State Street Ninth Street and beautifying the downtown area to attract visitors and businesses, the city said. There will be new landscaping, decorative paving and public gathering spaces.

Efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety include the addition of left turn lanes on both northbound and southbound State Street, which creates a dedicated turn lane, the city said. Additionally, bump-outs at the intersections of Eighth, Ninth and 10th streets will serve as traffic-calming elements that encourage slower traffic through the downtown area, while preserving on-street parking on the 800 and 900 blocks.