As State Route 9 – the primary arterial in the town of Pekin, Illinois – transitioned to a ring road around the community, the city of Pekin saw an opportunity to transform the existing route into a complete street that better connects downtown to the commercial zones and supports the revival of downtown Pekin.
The city partnered with Hanson to provide engineering services for improvements along the corridor. To improve wayfinding and promote business development, downtown one-way streets were converted to two-way traffic. Along Court Street, the existing five-lane roadway presented challenges, including narrow four-foot sidewalks and intermittent power poles that blocked pedestrian access. Hanson evaluated alternatives to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle facilities within the public right-of-way to promote alternate modes of transportation, improve access to the park and high school and create a more welcoming gateway to the Pekin community.
To help fund the projects, Hanson assisted Pekin with securing a Fast-Track Public Infrastructure Grant for construction of the first section and provided supporting information for an awarded Surface Transportation Block Grant for a second section. The Hanson team reviewed guidelines for additional federal funding opportunities, developed preliminary benefit-cost ratios and prepared a 2020 RAISE grant application requesting an additional $15 million for the project.
This project also included land acquisition services for more than 70 parcels, which encompassed appraisals, review appraisals, negotiations and relocation assistance for displaced property owners.
In addition, Hanson supported Illinois American Water with two water main projects: Court Street (from Eighth Street to 10th Street) and Easling Court to Stadium Drive. The team designed a water main along the Court Street frontage road between East Shore Drive and West Shore Drive. The work also included designing replacements for approximately 1,200 feet of water main along Court Street between Eighth and 10th streets, approximately 2,000 feet of 16-inch water main between Easling Court and Stadium Drive and approximately 800 feet of 8-inch water main between East Shore and West Shore. Coordinating these utility improvements with the roadway reconstruction helped address critical infrastructure needs as part of the overall corridor project.
