EDGEWATER — While the city waits for the Illinois Department of Transportation to sign off on permits for the Ridge Avenue watermain and resurfacing project, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said construction will be temporarily delayed.
Earlier this month, Osterman said the project — which closes Ridge from Bryn Mawr to Thorndale Avenues between Broadway and Clark Street — would be a "difficult undertaking" that would last about six weeks.
A start date, which had been scheduled for June 22, is now unknown because of the delays.
When it does begin, construction will occur between 8 a.m.-8 p.m., with some work on weekends, Osterman said. When construction isn't active, a travel lane will be left open for local traffic, the Department of Water Management said.
The route helps connect suburban and downtown commuters to both Lake Shore Drive as well as Peterson Avenue, and is a heavily-trafficked route by local drivers and cyclists.
Westbound lanes will be completely closed, while one eastbound lane will remain open and dedicated to buses and emergency vehicles.
"This is going to be a very difficult undertaking for our community, but we will work through the challenges together," Osterman said in an email to residents earlier this month.
To help navigate drivers, signs will be posted throughout Edgewater and Andersonville that point to alternative routes, Osterman said. The routes will use detours that minimize the amount of commuters using residential streets as workarounds.
Commuters using westbound busses, like the CTA #84 Peterson bus, will be detoured from the Byn Mawr Red Line station to Broadway; south on Broadway to Foster Avenue; west on Foster Avenue to Ashland Avenue; north on Ashland Avenue to Peterson Avenue, then will continue west on their usual routes.
Parking will also be restricted near Ridge Avenue, the water department said, generally between 7 a.m.-4 p.m.. Outside of those hours, parking will be allowed again, though cars will have to clear the area again by the next morning.
After a new 5,238-foot watermain is installed, North Broadway will be resurfaced from Devon to Foster Avenue, as well as Ridge from Clark to Broadway. The current pipe dates back to 1894, officials said.
The alternative westbound bus route for the duration of construction.
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