Parking Lot Disruption Coming Soon to Libertyville

Plans to bury utilities in the parking lot behind the Village Hall and the rear of businesses on N. Milwaukee Avenue could start as soon as the sun shines, according to village officials.

“They will be starting very soon and working in tighter areas,” Heinz said during Tuesday’s Parking Commission meeting. “Probably the biggest influence we are going to have back here initially is they are going to be starting a transformer bank.”

The village will be placing two new transformers in the lot, which is expected to impact the southern end of the lot; the area behind The Tavern, Firkin and Village Hall. That area will likely be cordoned off for six weeks at least, according to Heinz.

“Until they set up we won’t know what they are going to have but we definitely will not be able to keep that aisle open there,” Heinz said, referring to southern end of the parking lot.

During construction delivery trucks may be rerouted to enter the lot from Brainerd Avenue. The village plans to put up barricades to redirect traffic but does not expect to close the whole lot. Sections of the parking lot will be closed as crews work on the project.

Vehicle and pedestrian access from the parking garage at Lake Street and Brainerd Avenue will be maintained throughout the construction, according to a construction advisory the village sent to business owners and residents located around the 500 to 600 block of N. Milwaukee Ave.

In January, the village awarded Aldridge Electric a $427,000 contract to bury the utilities underground.

At last week’s board meeting, village trustees approved the final plans for surface work on the lot. The project is expected to cost $1.3 million and is funded through a tax-increment financing district. Construction on the lot will start after Libertyville Days.

“Our hope is to go out to bid and award the project by the last village board meeting in May,” Heinz said.

If the bids come in significantly higher than the village estimates then the resurfacing project may be delayed until next year.