Oakland Avenue Reconstruction

Description: Oakland Avenue will be reconstructed from Walnut Street to Chautauqua Road. Construction crews will remove and replace the street’s pavement, sidewalks, storm sewer, and driveway aprons. They will also add dedicated bike lanes in each direction.

Start Date: March 2020                                 

Est. Completion Date: November 2020     

Location: Along Oakland Avenue from Walnut Street to Chautauqua Road 

Project Cost:  $1,800,000

Funding Source: 80% of the funding for this project comes from the Southern Illinois Metropolitan Planning Organization. The City has provided the remaining 20%.  

Contractor: E.T. Simonds Construction Carbondale, IL                                                                

Project Impact: Oakland Avenue will be closed to all through traffic while the work is being performed.  Access will only be allowed to residents with driveways in the construction area.

Construction Updates 

11/16/2020 - Construction is now substantially complete! Cleanup work is in progress and pavement markings should be installed by Friday, November 27. The road is expected to be completely open to traffic by Friday, November 20. 

10/20/2020 - The paving work is complete! Contractors will be working on the remaining sidewalks and driveways for approximately two weeks. Weather permitting, cleanup work is expected to begin at the end of next week. Oakland Avenue is expected to be completely open to traffic in 2-3 weeks, weather permitting. 

10/5/2020 - The Chautauqua intersection has been reopened. Sidewalk and driveway work is ongoing. Drivers should expect periodic lane closures at the Chautauqua/ Oakland Avenue intersection for sidewalk and curb work over the next 7-10 days. The final roadway pavement pour is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, and will be for the northbound lane from Chautauqua Road to Hill Avenue. This project is on schedule to be completed this month, barring weather-related issues.  

09/15/2020 - Sanitary and storm sewer work has been completed. Construction crews have started the earthwork before forming and pouring the pavement up to the W. Hill Ave and W. Grand Ave intersection. 

09/04/2020 - All concrete paving, curb & gutter, and sidewalks are complete from Walnut Street through Mill Street. Schwartz, Cherry, College, Freeman, and Mill Street intersections are open to local traffic.  

08/11/2020 - Crews have begun pouring the pavement between Walkup Street and Whitney Street.