Washington St. Bridge Lane Closures
Lane closures on the Washington Street Bridge in downtown Naperville will take place earlier than expected after an inspection by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) found increased deterioration of the structure. Starting tomorrow, the outside southbound lane and the inside northbound lane will be closed to reduce traffic to one lane in each direction over the bridge. In addition, the inside eastbound lane on Aurora Avenue will be converted into a left-turn-only lane between Webster and Main streets and closed between Main and Washington streets. The outside southbound lane on Washington Street will be converted into a right-turn-only lane between Jackson and Chicago avenues. IDOT also directed the city to reduce the weight limit on the bridge to 8 tons. Plans for the reconstruction of the more than 40-year-old bridge have been in the works for some time, with work on a complete replacement of the bridge tentatively set to begin in the spring of 2023.
Go Brewing Founder’s Party Benefits Loaves & Fishes
Go Brewing will hold a Founder’s Party to celebrate its launch while raising money for a good cause in the process. On November 4, the new brewery featuring its own handcrafted low and non-alcoholic beer, will host the event at its new facility at 1665 Quincy Avenue, Suite 155 in Naperville. There will be gourmet food by My Chef Catering, live music, giveaways, and of course, Go Brewing’s new brews. All proceeds from the event will go to Loaves & Fishes Community Services. Tickets are $150 each and available through the Loaves & Fishes website. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Heinen Business District Approved
Naperville City Council approved an ordinance for the Heinen Business District plans and additional tax during its meeting on Tuesday night by a vote of 8-1. The Ohio-based Heinen’s Grocery Store plans to purchase the seven acres of strip mall space formerly anchored by Butera Market at Chicago Avenue and Olesen Drive. Heinen’s will receive an extra half percent sales tax for each business in this strip to help pay for improvements to fix the flooding issues on the property. This includes elevating both the store and parking lot so excess water can go into underground vaults. No start date for construction has been set.
248th Avenue Noise Walls
Also last night, council voted to adopt an ordinance providing direction regarding construction and location of noise walls along 248th Avenue only at warranted locations. In 2026, the City of Naperville plans to widen 248th Ave. between 95th and 103rd streets, expanding it from two lanes to five lanes. A noise impact analysis taking into account projected traffic from that project and the anticipated traffic from the new Islamic Center of Naperville mosque being built on that stretch was conducted. The study found about three quarters of the homes in the area qualified for noise walls. Residents whose homes did not qualify requested that the city pay for noise walls along the whole corridor. Council members decided the city will not spend the extra $2 million to install the additional noise walls for those who did not qualify or for undeveloped areas along that section. Some reasoned that in looking at the 40-year out projection, electric cars would become the standard, and noise would be naturally reduced as a result, making the extra expenditure unwarranted.
Bill Jacobs Donation to Ronald McDonald House
On Tuesday morning, representatives from Bill Jacobs Motorsport presented a check to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana for $21,000. The money will provide 221 nights for families at Ronald McDonald houses. These houses provide comfort and rest for families with children in active treatment at nearby hospitals. Bill Jacobs BMW raised $21,000 through its annual golf outing, which took place on August 9, 2022.
