Sidewalk Coming Soon to 151st Street

Installation of a sidewalk near the site of a student's injury in April will begin Oct. 1, Oak Forest aldermen decided Tuesday. 

Aldermen approved a bid totaling $69,608 for the work, from Alsip-based Davis Concrete Construction. The bid was the lowest of four submitted, and came in under an engineer's projected $72,000. Work is scheduled to start Oct. 1, to be completed by Nov. 2. 

Sidewalk will be laid on the south side of 151st Street, from Condado to the existing sidewalk at 5747 W. 151st St., in addition to a connecting sidewalk to the existing sidewalk.

The City of Oak Forest will pay $34,588 for its portion of the work; Forest Ridge District 142 will pay $10,906. The remainder will be covered by Oak Forest, to be reimbursed by Cook County. 

The sidewalk and a new stoplight are safety measures planned after student Alex Fitzgerald was struck by a car in April 2012. Alex, who is still recovering from a traumatic brain injury sustained in the accident, inspired city and school officials to seek help from Cook County Commissioner Joan Murphy, to make the area safer for students. 

Cook County officials approved the installation of a stoplight and sidewalk near the location. The County will cover the $250,000 cost of the stoplight; a temporary stoplight is currently in place. 

The city's portion of the funds will come from its sidewalk escrow account, said City Administrator Troy Ishler at a previous meeting.

"We do have sufficient funds to pay for this sidewalk," Ishler said, "Which I think is a perfect example of what we should be using this money for."  

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