Traffic light, pedestrian path get go-ahead as part of senior center improvements

Highland Park officials are hopeful a significant infrastructure investment paves the way for a series of public benefits in a heavily utilized part of the city.

City Council members approved on Monday, April 28, a $692,695 contract with Schroeder Asphalt Services for a pair of improvements at 1201 Park Avenue West.

The funds will allow for the construction of a new traffic signal at the new main entrance of the parking lot that serves the Highland Park Senior Center and the Recreation Center of Highland Park.

Additionally, project developers will also build a new multi-use path along the north side of Park Avenue West, according to city documents.

Highland Park recently made a series of improvements to the senior center, which was relocated to the site in 2021.

The city, as part of the project, also reconstructed the parking lot. Per city documents, officials created a new main entrance into the lot, and that entrance is located near the middle of the lot, between the existing east entrance and the existing west entrance.

Adding a traffic signal will offer a series of benefits, city officials believe, including safe entry and exit, particularly for seniors turning left out of the lot, and a new signalized pedestrian crossing on Park Avenue West.

The new multi-use path is slated to run along the north side of Park Avenue West and is proposed to begin at the current west entrance to the parking lot and extend to the eastern-most lot entrance, city documents say.

“I’m excited about the multi-use path here,” Councilmember Kim Stone said. “We’ve been asked for years to do something to improve the situation on Park Avenue, so that’s really great.”

Highland Park officials noted that the city is looking to further extend the path east to Green Bay Road, and staff will bring a recommendation to the council on the possible extension in the near future.

Work on both aspects of the project is anticipated to begin after Memorial Day with completion expected this fall, according to documents.

The project was first included on the meeting’s consent agenda April 28, but it was pulled for a brief discussion among the council and ultimately unanimously approved.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.