Portion of Main Street to Close for Flood Control Project

The City of Wheaton is scheduled to begin work early next month on the North Main Street Flood Control Project to reduce flooding on North Main Street.

The city expects to complete the project in October. The scope of the project includes replacing the existing culvert pipes with a bridge, widening the channel and stabilizing the stream bank to reduce erosion. These enhancements will help convey storm water downstream to Northside Park, according to a message from the City of Wheaton.

North Main Street at the bridge will remain open only to northbound traffic throughout construction. 

According to the Chicago Tribune, the project was supposed to be finished in 2012, but the city experienced delays in negotiations with property owners and improving Northside Park to prevent the lagoon from flooding. At least one business on North Main was enthusiastic about having the renovations finally done, the paper said.

According to the City of Wheaton website, the improvements include replacing roadway culverts, widening Winfield Creek and adding a Main Street bridge over the creek.

"This will allow additional stormwater to flow under Main Street," the project description on the site reads. "After the projects are completed, no increase in flooding will take place on the Park District land at Northside Park, and no impacts are expected to affect the surrounding private properties or flood plain area."

There will be two detour routes:

1. To access local businesses or homes located in the North Main Street construction zone between Parkway Drive and Cole Avenue, use the local business route posted at Cole Avenue.
2. For southbound Main Street traffic wanting to continue beyond the construction zone, a posted detour will route traffic west on Geneva Road, south on Gary Avenue, east on Harrison Avenue and back to Main Street. 

See a map outlining both detours.

The City will provide construction updates throughout the duration of the project via the City’s website at www.wheaton.il.us.

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