Romeoville looks to make 135th Street more bike, pedestrian friendly

The village of Romeoville is redoing 135th Street to take it more pedestrian friendly.

The project will begin just east of Weber Road and stretch to just west of the Romeo Plaza Shopping Center, according to a news release from the village. Along this section, the road will be resurfaced and a new dedicated turn lane will run down the center, making for safer turns into adjacent neighborhoods and businesses without slowing down thru traffic, according to the release.

Additionally, a bike lane will be added in each direction, making this connector road safe to traverse by bicycle and furthering the connectivity of the village’s bike path network, according to the release. In addition to the resurfacing, curb, gutter and sidewalk removal and replacement will take place.

During this work, the road will remain open. Improvements are expected to begin in mid-April. Decorative lighting is slated to be added late in the summer, and in the late fall to early spring 2025, additional landscaping is expected to be planted along the road, according to the village.

“135th Street is an important east-west road that will now be much safer to travel both for vehicles and pedestrian traffic,” Mayor John Noak said in the release.

Another project currently underway near 135th and Route 53 is a water main replacement. The project runs from the post office to the Romeo Plaza Shopping Center just off Route 53.

During this time, the south lane of 135th Street is closed along this stretch. Traffic continues to flow in both directions, and no detours will be set up. This project should be completed by the end of April, according to the release.

Once completed, these two projects will create a safer and more connected 135th Street while also enhancing the water infrastructure, according to the village.