The City of Wheaton Downtown Streetscape is a multi-year infrastructure project bringing updates and improvements to underground utilities, roadways, lighting, and signage while creating wider, more pedestrian-friendly sidewalks throughout downtown Wheaton. This significant investment in our community's infrastructure and amenities has helped spur development and economic activity in the heart of our community and has created new spaces for both residents and visitors to enjoy all that Wheaton has to offer.
While this project is substantially complete, contracted crews are completing some punch-list items as part of the final work on this project.
View the Downtown Streetscape Project Map & Timeline
Streets: Liberty Drive from West Street to Cross Street; Wheaton Avenue from Liberty to Wesley; Cross Street from Liberty to Front Street
Project dates: Spring 2021-2023
Phase 4 mainly focuses south of the railroad tracks on Liberty Drive, including a new multi-purpose canopy structure, new gathering areas, bicycle facilities, and more. This beautifully designed area will not only invite the community to gather, enjoy the French Market and more, but it will also draw users of the Prairie Path to explore our downtown shops, restaurants and other businesses. Segments of Wesley Street, Wheaton Avenue, Cross Street and Willow Avenue will also receive upgrades in this last streetscape phase.
Streets: Liberty Drive from West Street to Cross Street; Wheaton Avenue from Wesley Street to Liberty Drive; Cross Street from Liberty Drive to RR Tracks
Project dates: March 2020 - November 2020
Copenhaver Construction replaced the roadways and curbs, created wider sidewalks and a brick amenity zone, and has added new lighting, benches, and landscaping beds. New wayfinding signage and banners will be installed soon.
Streets: Wesley Street from Wheaton Avenue to Cross Street; Hale Street from Front Street to Seminary Avenue; Cross Street from Front Street to Wesley Street
Project dates: April 2019 - November 2019
Copenhaver Construction replaced the roadways and curbs, created wider sidewalks and a brick amenity zone, and has added new lighting, benches, and landscaping beds. New wayfinding signage and banners will be installed soon.
Streets: Wesley Street from Wheaton Avenue to Cross Street; Hale Street from Front Street to Seminary Avenue
Project dates: September 2018 - November 2018
John Neri Construction Company, Inc. replaced aging water main and sanitary sewers on Wesley Street and Hale Street.
Streets: Front Street from West Street to Cross Street
Project dates: April 2018 - Winter 2018
Landmark Construction replaced the roadways and curbs, created wider sidewalks and an amenity zone and has added new lighting, benches, and landscaping beds. Martin Memorial Plaza, which features a new water fountain and an outdoor fireplace, has been relocated to the north side of Front Street. New wayfinding signage and new traffic signals were installed in early 2019.
Streets: Front Street from West Street to Cross Street
Project dates: September 2017 - November 2017
Copenhaver Construction replaced aging water main and sanitary sewers on Front Street from West Street to Cross Street.
View the final Downtown Wheaton Strategic Plan and Streetscape Plan (PDF).
One of the Wheaton City Council’s goals in their 2014 Strategic Priorities was economic development in the City’s downtown. A key part of that was the development of a Downtown Wheaton Strategic Plan and a Downtown Streetscape Plan.
Following completion and adoption of the Downtown Strategic Plan and Streetscape Plan in February 2014, the City Council desired to engage the design services of a streetscape/engineering professional to assist the City with the implementing and construction of the public infrastructure elements identified in the Downtown Strategic and Streetscape Plan.
The City conducted a request for qualifications and request for proposal process and received and reviewed eight submittals for streetscape/engineering professional design services and determined that the proposal received from Design Workshop met the City’s needs for this project.
The following tasks were associated with completing this project:
The complete design services agreement can be seen in the City Council Resolution below.