Making the Most of an Interstate down Main Street

The Village of Oak Park asked for our assistance when it was unable to stop a proposed expansion of a below grade freeway.

The planned expansion would split their historic downtown in two.  We developed a plan to limit the negative effects of the expressway by capping a portion of the freeway, as part of a larger downtown revitalization.  We drew on our contacts in the Congress and within the Illinois delegation to secure appropriations to fund a study and preliminary engineering of the freeway cap.

While the plan makes its way through the Illinois Department of Transportation, we have remained vigilant in Washington.  We have secured language through five separate appropriations cycles that requires consideration of the cap concurrent with any expansion of the expressway.  Through effective advocacy, we helped ensure that a village of only 50,000, was heard loud and clear in the halls of Capitol Hill.