Welcome to the project website for Wilmette’s Central Avenue and Downtown Streetscape Project!
BIG THANKS to the community for participating in the Wilmette Central Avenue and Downtown Streetscape Project. Beginning in the summer of 2018, the design team enjoyed hearing community input about what makes downtown Wilmette so special – and how it can be improved. Feedback was received via the community poll, Music on the Green Event, stakeholder interviews and public meetings. The Streetscape Project was inspired by community members’ creative visioning and practical thinking. For more information about past planning efforts please click here.
The purpose of this website was to continue the communications set forth in the Village of Wilmette’s webpage for the Wilmette Central Avenue and Downtown Streetscape Plan and to provide up to date information about downtown streetscape construction progress.
“We’re going to do everything that we can to continue to support all of our businesses and that was a big driver of this project. We’ve built up what we think is the premier dining destination in the north shore and it’s our job now to maintain that and continue that into the foreseeable future and that was a major reason we wanted to move forward with this project.”
– Mike Braiman, Wilmette Village Manager
The Record North Shore
Downtown Streetscape Vision
Wilmette’s Downtown is the center of our community. It’s the place where we shop, dine, obtain personal services, visit Village Hall, and meet up with friends and neighbors. In recent years, Wilmette’s downtown has enjoyed a resurgence in activity and vibrancy. At the same time, our infrastructure was in need of repair. The streetscape improvements updated below and above ground infrastructure, as well as enhancements to the public realm to reinforce Downtown as a welcoming and friendly community center.
Streetscape Improvement Areas
- Wilmette Avenue between the east side of the Union Pacific Railroad and Lake Avenue.
- Central Avenue between the east side of the Union Pacific Railroad and Sheridan Road.
Streetscape Staging Areas
The streetscape was constructed over multiple stages. Traffic flow, walkways and parking were redirected for each stage of construction.
Maps of planned construction during each stage can be downloaded here.
How was the community involved?
Construction can be disruptive to downtown businesses and homes. The Village and design team worked closely with the community to minimize construction impacts. Community members were very involved in the process, from subscribing to Weekly Project Updates, to attending drop-in construction meetings, to sharing input and reaching out to the team with issues or concerns. Thank you for being open and patient!
This project tapped into two federal funding sources, Surface Transportation Urban (STU) funding and Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding. New water main installation was not eligible under either federal funding source and was constructed with local Village of Wilmette funds.
Wilmette Downtown Streetscape Plan 