Traffic moves through the intersection of Ninth Street and Brooke Road on Monday, July 18, 2022, in Rockford. The city plans to rebuild a roughly half-mile stretch of Ninth between Brooke and Sandy Hollow roads this summer and fall. (Photo by Mary Sisk/Rock River Current)By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The city is getting ready to rebuild a half-mile stretch of Ninth Street, a roadway recognized as a high priority for repairs during the coordination of its $248 million capital plan.
“It was actually the highest-scoring street in need of reinvestment on our neighborhood-priority allocation,” said Kyle Saunders, director of public works for the city of Rockford. “This is the road that obviously needed the most attention.”
City Council members on Monday awarded a $1,357,271.50 contract to Stenstrom Excavation to reconstruct the roadway from Brooke Road to Sandy Hollow Road. Work is expected to begin within a month.
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The Ninth Street reconstruction is part of Rockford’s largest capital plan in history. The plan covers resurfacing neighborhood streets, rebuilding major roadways and reconstructing bridges over the next five years.
Repairs to Ninth Street will include new pavement, stormwater infrastructure, sidewalk reconstruction and more fixes expected to be completed by late October.
“It is a full reconstruction of just about all the public infrastructure in that area,” Saunders said. “Our hope is to get this all wrapped up by this construction season.”
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An average of 3,650 vehicles cross Ninth Street near Brooke Road daily, according to Illinois Department of Transportation traffic estimates.
Some other projects included in the capital plan are the reconstruction of Whitman and Charles streets, the 15th Avenue bridge and more.
Rockford City Council members on Monday, July 18, 2022, awarded a more than $1.3 million contract to Stenstrom Excavation to rebuild a half-mile stretch of Ninth Street. (Photo by Mary Sisk/Rock River Current)This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent