CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the Eagle Street Gateway Improvement to the Naperville Riverwalk
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J Novack, Director/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Naperville Riverwalk Commission has been active in the design of this project and supports construction of the improvements.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Naperville and the Naperville Park District have worked cooperatively over the last four decades to develop, expand, and maintain the Naperville Riverwalk. For the most part, the City has led the development and construction of the Riverwalk with the Park District performing the maintenance. As the Riverwalk expanded from Washington Street to Hillside Road in the late 1990’s the Park District noted the financial strain the additional maintenance was placing on them.
In 2003 the City and Park District entered into a Riverwalk Maintenance Agreement which stipulated that the City would be financially responsible for maintenance costs of the portions of the Riverwalk east of Washington Street and any new additions or enhancements to the Riverwalk while the Park District would be responsible for all other portions. For 2024 the Park District has budgeted a total of $1,299,127 for maintenance with the City contributing $272,817.
DISCUSSION:
The Riverwalk Maintenance Agreement requires both the City and Park District to agree to all additions and enhancements to the Riverwalk. The Eagle Street Gateway project is located on the north side of the river immediately west of Eagle Street. When the first phase of the Riverwalk near Main Street was improved in the 2000’s a ramp was provided from the upper riverwalk to the lower Riverwalk. Staff received feedback that residents were concerned that the only accessible way to the upper walkway was to go back to Main Street.
Upon hearing those concerns, the Riverwalk Commission developed the Eagle Street Gateway project which provides both stairs and an ADA accessible ramp between the upper and lower Riverwalk pathways west of Eagle Street. This provides better ADA access and can reduce the number of pedestrians that cross Eagle Street at Jackson Avenue due to the low flow walkway underneath the Eagle Street bridge. A rendering of the project is below.
The City secured a $900,000 grant from Congressman Bill Foster to assist in funding this over $2 million dollar improvement. The construction contract will be placed out for bid in early 2024 with construction scheduled to start and be completed next year.
The Park District has estimated that the annual maintenance cost of this improvement between $18,390 and $23,907 based on the design, which would be funded by the City. Staff from both the City and Park District will work cooperatively to agree on the actual annual cost after two years of maintenance as allowed by the Riverwalk Maintenance Agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This improvement will add between $18,390 and $23,907 of additional maintenance cost to the Riverwalk which will be paid for by the City.