The Village is hosting a public information kickoff meeting for the Bridging the Ike project is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7 in the Rubinstein Community Room at the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield St. This initial meeting will serve as an opportunity to introduce the Bridging the Ike project and solicit resident feedback to understand the important issues that will help develop and refine the improvement opportunities at I-290 bridge crossings. Since the 2005 Cap the Ike Feasibility Study, the Village has been working with IDOT to play for the reconstruction of I-290. More information about the project is available at www.engageoakpark.com/ike.

With the start of April comes the return of weekly collection of yard waste and compost for residential properties served by the Village’s refuse hauler. The weekly collection continues through the last full week in November. Bundled brush no larger than 2 feet in diameter and 4 feet in length and yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, shrubs and vines will be picked up on regular refuse collection days. A green yard waste sticker must be attached to each brush bundle, 32-gallon paper bag and rigid container. Stickers are $3.25 each and available at most grocery stores, as well as Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Residents are urged to look for alternatives to bagging yard waste such as mulching mowers, leaf shredders or composting. Participants in the Village's compost program can discard yard waste in their gray cart without using a green sticker. For more information about yard waste collection, visit www.oak-park.us/refuse.

Monday, April 6 kicks off National Public Health week, and the Village along with municipalities across the country will recognize and celebrate the public health field. Rooted in community collaboration, science, policy and public service, public health professionals have worked over the years to improve community health and prevent disease and injury. Public health victories over the past century include reducing childhood mortality, addressing environmental hazards like air pollution and unsafe drinking water, encouraging vaccination to prevent the spread of disease and the promotion of healthy behaviors like smoking cessation and heart-healthy diets.  Our local Public Health Department, founded in 1905 and certified by the state in 1949, delivers a variety of services to the community, including restaurant and grocery store inspections to ensure a safe and healthy food supply, monitoring the spread of communicable disease and offering guidance to stop the spread when possible, emergency preparedness action plans and programs, and injury prevention initiatives like the Opioid Overdose Prevention program.

To celebrate National Public Health Week, a new episode of the Inside Oak Park podcast that highlights the work of the Village’s Public Health work will be released on Monday, April 6. This edition is hosted by Communications Manager Erik Jacobsen and features insight and conversation from Public Health Director Greg Olsen and Health Education Manager Sara Semelka. It was produced by Media Manager Joe Kreml. More information about the podcast is available at www.oak-park.us/podcast

https://www.oak-park.us/Community/Community-Services/Community-Development-Block-Grant-CDBG-ProgramNext week, April 6-10, the Village of Oak Park is highlighting the impact of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding across the community. Throughout the week, residents may notice yard signs placed in key locations featuring the message: “Stronger Oak Park neighborhoods start with CDBG.” These signs are intended to raise awareness of how federally funded, locally administered CDBG dollars support critical services, infrastructure, and programs that address Oak Park’s unique community needs and create long-term benefits. Community members are encouraged to scan the QR code displayed on the signs to learn more about how CDBG funds are invested and the impact they have across the Village. More information is available at www.oak-park.us/cdbg.

https://www.renewtheavenue.com/All water and sewer work is now complete on Oak Park Ave. between Lake St. and Ontario St. Next, the electrical contractor will begin work on installing new streetlights and associated underground electrical conduit and foundations next week. Meanwhile, the north crew has started installing the new sewer main between North Blvd. and Lake St. Sewer main and service installation will continue this block for the next few weeks. The south crew has finished installing the sewer main and services between Randolph St. and Pleasant St. and has started sewer installation in the Pleasant St. and Oak Park Ave. intersection, requiring short-term daily closures of the intersection. Finally, Nicor’s contractor expects to complete their work in the project area early next week. AT&T and ComEd are also on-site completing repairs and upgrades of their infrastructure.

Oak Park Ave. and Garfield St. traffic signal improvements – Optimization of the traffic signals is still in progress. The schedule for pavement and sidewalk restoration is pending.

Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installations – The contractor began installing the foundations for the RRFB’s and bicycle push buttons this week at locations near Oak Park schools. They will continue installing the foundations and then move to installing the underground conduit that connects the RRFB’s to the bike buttons once all foundations have been installed.

Alley improvement project – The alley contractor began site layout this week. Underground sewer work for the project is anticipated to begin next week.

Manhole inspections – The manhole inspection crew began work this week, starting at the south end of Home Ave. Inspections at locations adjacent to schools will be restricted to between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Partial lane closures are expected to occur while this work is in progress.

Nicor inspections – Nicor’s project for locating and repairing cross bores resumed this week on the 800 block of S. Cuyler Ave. The current excavation areas are outside the Village’s right-of-way, and Nicor is working directly with the affected residents for these inspections and repairs.