The City is currently experiencing considerable redevelopment of its older downtown Central Business District (CBD). With the numerous redevelopment efforts that are taking place, the need to repair, update and enhance the sidewalks and streets has become evident. It is envisioned that the improvements would include the replacement of sidewalks and curb and gutter with new ones that include paver streetscape accents, planters with irrigation, decorative street lights, street furniture, additional street trees and repaving of the streets. The look would be similar to that found on Douglas Avenue, Grove Avenue, and Symphony Way around the The Centre.

In addition to the above work, the underground utilities will also need to be reconditioned. The water main and water services in the CBD are old, buried deeper than necessary due to street grade changes over the years and not easily repairable. The storm and sanitary sewers have been inspected and repaired in the past but also need to be evaluated and any recommended repairs addressed. Lining of all sewer mains is budgeted for 2006 by the annual Public Works contract.

To oversee the CBD Improvement Project, the City of Elgin has engaged the services of TranSystems and DLK Civic Design to provide design services for water main and water service replacement, streetscape amenities construction and street resurfacing.

Both the surface and underground work will have a high impact on the residents and businesses in the area. For this reason, construction will need to be well planned and executed in order to maintain reasonable access during construction. The general plan for the program is for the utility work to occur the year before the surface improvements. The project has been laid out such that surface improvements would begin in 2007 and be concluded by the end of 2011 construction season. In order to maintain this proposed schedule, the underground utility work for the first year of the surface improvements must be initiated in 2006.