State Street, Lincoln Avenue set for makeover in downtown O’Fallon

New street lighting, crosswalk improvements and curb bump-outs are part of multiyear streetscape projects planned for State Street and North Lincoln Avenue in downtown O’Fallon.

The city is moving forward with preliminary engineering, the next step outlined in the Capital Improvement Plan, Forward 50 Initiative and Downtown Improvement Plan, City Administrator Grant Litteken said.

“The goal is to make the streetscape around downtown O’Fallon more automobile and pedestrian friendly, improve safety, and provide a more desirable look for the downtown area,” Litteken said.

Following City Council approval, initial design and planning activities will begin in the coming months. This phase will include conceptual design, stakeholder coordination and necessary studies, he said.

“The core vision and goals of the project remain consistent with what was previously approved,” he said.

As engineering progresses, the timeline will be refined, but construction is expected to follow design completion and funding.

State Street and North Lincoln Avenue are the first phase. The city received a $596,000 federal Surface Transportation Program grant for the overlay, Litteken said.

After that work is completed, a future phase would include South Lincoln Avenue between State Street and Highway 50, he said. Over time, remaining downtown roadways would be incorporated into the streetscape concept.

At a recent meeting, the council approved Oates Associates Inc. to develop preliminary plans so a project development report can be submitted to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The firm will be paid $87,509 for engineering services for the streetscape design on State Street from CSX to Smiley Street and on North Lincoln Avenue near State Street to Jackson Street.

Proposed improvements include hot-mix asphalt mill-and-overlay, sidewalk reconstruction, ADA ramp upgrades, stamped crosswalks, street lighting and other streetscape items selected by the city.

The plan is to combine resurfacing and streetscape work, and construction could begin in 2028.

Litteken said meetings will be held to gather feedback on the designs before final development plans are completed.

In the meantime, staff are considering a resurfacing treatment that would extend the life of North Lincoln Avenue and stay within spending limits. The treatment would seal the street, giving it another two to three years of life, he said. Work could start during warm weather. Funding is available in the Motor Fuel Tax budget for fiscal 2027.

Forward 50 Initiative

Completed in June 2024, the Forward 50 Initiative focuses on upgrading the Highway 50 corridor to improve safety for all modes of travel and enhance aesthetics.

Key projects include constructing a roundabout at U.S. 50 and Lincoln Avenue, adding shared-use paths and updating streetscapes.

Among the top five priority projects is streetscaping on Lincoln Avenue near the historic downtown to transform it into a more attractive, walkable area.

The Downtown Area Action Plan (2015) is an ongoing guide that directs development, retail and aesthetic improvements in the downtown district.

State Street enhancements: Upcoming projects (2025-2040) include improvements estimated at $3.3 million for the State Street area, ranging from Regency Park to Green Mount Road.

The future of U.S. 50 from Interstate 64 to Scott-Troy Road was a focus of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments’ Great Streets Initiative, which funded a detailed plan from Exit 14 to Exit 19, including a portion of Lincoln Avenue.

The St. Louis Great Streets Initiative launched in early 2006 to expand how communities think about their streets.

“Rather than viewing a roadway project as solely a way to move more cars and trucks faster, the goal of the St. Louis Great Streets Initiative is to trigger economic and social benefits by centering communities around interesting, lively and attractive streets that serve all modes of transportation,” the EWG stated.

Highway 50 was the main thoroughfare through O’Fallon until Interstate 64 was built in 1975, and its function has changed over the years.

The city hosted 11 public design workshops and planning meetings attended by 410 people. During 10 months of online engagement, 2,165 residents shared ideas, concerns and preferences, according to Cory Scott, RDG senior manager. RDG, a national planning and design group with an office in St. Louis, served as project director.

They talked to residents about mobility, land use and design, infrastructure, economic development, and the environment and parks. Scott said those talks were crucial to bringing the best ideas to life.

Scott said every seat was filled at the first kickoff meeting, with residents showing strong interest in the corridor’s future.

Connecting the community, increasing mobility, improving safety for all modes of travel, enhancing aesthetics to boost the area’s appeal, and identifying targets for economic development were considered.

The highway study was funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Illinois Department of Transportation. The grant was up to $500,000, and the city’s portion was $100,000.

The 300-page document can be accessed here: ofallon.org/DocumentCenter/View/925/Forward-50-Great-Streets-Plan.