Oak Park Street Repairs Delayed a Year

The long-awaited project will be East Oak Park's first full repaving in more than 25 years.

By Holly Bieler · August 12, 2026 · Oak Park

A long-awaited repaving of East Oak Park's streets and sidewalks has been pushed back about six months, with construction now set to begin in spring 2027, *The Acorn* is reporting.

County officials announced the delay at a recent Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council meeting, saying they opted against opening up roadwork ahead of this winter's expected El Niño rains.

"The plan specs are complete, and we're toying with the schedule right now because there's concern if I go out to bid and start opening up work before El Niño, perhaps we'll be creating more problems than solutions," said Matt Hespenheide, the county's engineering manager.

The $6.7 million project covers 51 streets east of the Oak Hills Drive-Kanan Road intersection, which will receive their first comprehensive pavement overlay in more than 25 years. Plans also call for new disability-compliant curb ramps at intersections currently lacking them.

The project could prove costly for some homeowners. Under county policy, property owners are responsible for repairing sidewalk panels adjacent to their property, including panels damaged by tree roots. Those repairs ran about $11 per square foot on a recent county project.

Out-of-compliance owners will receive letters with cost estimates once the project goes out to bid, Hespenheide said, and will have at least 30 days to complete the repairs themselves before county crews step in. Invoices typically arrive six to nine months after the work is done.

No parkway trees are slated for removal as part of the project, though owners worried about future sidewalk damage can request the county remove a non-oak tree, at their own expense.