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Fullerton Avenue face-lift in Belmont Cragin to begin in spring

By Mitch Dudek
Published  February 23, 2023 6:04pm CST
Cragin
Sun-Times Media Wire

CHICAGO - A pothole-filled stretch of Fullerton Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood is slated for a face-lift, city officials announced Thursday.

The 1.4-mile stretch of road will be tackled in two phases. The first phase will begin this spring and include a stretch of Fullerton between Narragansett and Menard avenues. The second phase, between Menard and Lockwood avenues, will begin next year and is slated for completion in fall 2024.

"This project has been a long time coming," said Tom Carney, the first deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation. "Fullerton Avenue is a very bumpy road, tons of potholes."

Between 23,000 to 26,000 vehicles use the stretch of road daily, according to CDOT.

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Fullerton will remain open during construction, but parking will not be allowed in areas of active construction, and there will be periodic parking restrictions on some side streets. CTA bus routes will not be affected.

In addition to roadway resurfacing, the project will add curb bump-outs, high visibility crosswalks and pedestrian refuge islands — allowing people to safely pause in the middle of the street before continuing across.

It will also include sidewalk, curb and gutter replacement and new street lighting and parkway trees.

The $11.2 million project is funded in part by tax increment financing money and the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways.

"We just need the residents’ patience because it’s going to take almost a year to be done," said Ald. Felix Cardona (31st).

"This was five years in the making," said Ald. Ariel E. Reboyras (30th). "It’s about time we get this project home."

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) also attended the news conference.

Weekly construction meetings will be held during the project. The first meeting is March 9 at the project’s field office, 5610 W. Bloomingdale Ave., and will continue thereafter every Thursday. The public is welcome to attend and ask questions. Remote access will also be available.