FAQs
- Take our surveys or contribute to our idea board and map.
- Subscribe to the Engage Site to stay up-to-date on what's happening.
- Reach out to us via email if you would like to join the steering committee or ask specific questions.
Alley Improvements: The Village will be entering the second and final year of alley replacements, with two projects. The first project is a “green partnership” the Village is entering into with the MWRD. The 4 alleys included are bounded by Palmer Street, Leyden Avenue, Belden Avenue and Fifth Avenue and will remove 168,000 gallons of runoff from the sewer system. The Comprehensive plan for River Grove will include solutions to flooding and runoff issues in River Grove and support for River Grove’s current efforts and programs.
2023 Palmer & West Street Water Main and Roadway Improvements: The Village has designed its replacement and will bid this work in spring. The Village will receive $325,000 from Cook County to improve the 2100 block of West Street from the railroad tracks to Palmer Street and from West Street to Leyden on Palmer Street, replace the West Street water main, complete a structural resurfacing of the roadway and install traffic calming islands at both West and Palmer Street to keep semitrucks out of the residential areas.
2023 Parking Lot Improvements: The Village will be constructing a parking lot on Thatcher Avenue across from the Village Hall on the long vacant “Marmor Auto Repair” property, which will be used by Village staff, police, and fire department. Additionally, the Village will be constructing two parking lots on Marwood Street just south of Grand Avenue to support business demand.
Grand Avenue and Erie Stret Sitting Park and additional Parking: This project will clean up the southwest corner of Grand Avenue and Erie Street by adding a green space to sit as well as add six additional parking spaces for our growing businesses.
2023 Sidewalk Replacement Program: The Village has budgeted additional funds toward the replacement of our village’s liable trip spots around town. Please contact the Public Works Department to let them know about any sidewalk squares you may be concerned about.
Belmont/ Thatcher Entrance: The Village is in the process of securing the property at the southeast corner of Belmont and Thatcher Avenue so it can install an entry sign and landscaping.
Grand Avenue East Entry: The Village will be completing the streetscape work between Webster and Davisson. e work includes the placement of brick sidewalks, concrete parkways, placement of landscape planters and pedestrian lights. e Village is leveraging the work being completed by IDOT (curb and gutter replacement and resurfacing) reducing the overall Village cost of the project to complete the east entry into the Village.
Grand Avenue Resurfacing: The Illinois Department of Transportation will be resurfacing Grand Avenue from Harlem Avenue to Elm Street. e work was contracted last year, but the start was postponed due to a strike at the Illinois quarries limiting the number of aggregates available in 2022. The work is anticipated to start in March and to run through August.
Who is developing Reimagine River Grove?
The Reimagine River Grove Comprehensive Plan is being developed by the Village of River Grove in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP(External link)). The plan's development will also be guided by the project's Steering Committee, which will be made up of residents and local stakeholders.
Who is CMAP?
The agency was established in 2005 with the mission to plan comprehensively for economic prosperity and quality of life.
CMAP and its partners developed and are now implementing ON TO 2050(External link)(External link), a new long-range plan to help the seven counties and 284 communities of northeastern Illinois implement strategies that address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues. To learn more about CMAP, visit www.cmap.illinois.gov
How is CMAP involved with this project?
CMAP fulfills its mission of planning comprehensively for the region by conducting long-range planning (see ON TO 2050(External link)) and providing planning services to local governments with decision-making authority, among other activities. In 2010, CMAP started the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program to provide technical planning assistance to communities. In 2021, the Village of River Grove submitted an application to the technical assistance program seeking CMAP’s assistance to develop a comprehensive plan for River Grove. The project was initiated in September 2022 and CMAP staff will continue to assist the Village of River Grove to develop a comprehensive plan.
What is a comprehensive plan?
A comprehensive plan can be defined as a long-range plan intended to direct the growth and physical development of a community for a 20 to 30 year or longer period.
The Reimagine River Grove Comprehensive Plan will explore topics related to future land use and development, transportation, pedestrian and bicyclist mobility, housing, economic development, and infrastructure investment.
How do I get Involved?
There are a few ways to contribute to the comprehensive plan!
What projects are currently happening in River Grove?
For the year 2023, here are the current projects happening in River Grove: