The City of Galesburg advanced plans for a safer, more accessible East Main Street by unanimously approving a Joint Funding Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on Monday.
The 6-0 City Council vote—Ward 3 Alderman Evan Miller was absent—enables preliminary engineering work to begin on enhancements from Grand Avenue to Walnut Street, with construction not expected to start until 2028 at the earliest.
The agreement secures $243,000 in Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant funding and $269,620 from the City’s Federal Surface Transportation – Urban (STU) allotment to cover Phase I preliminary engineering costs. The City will contribute $94,406 from its Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) Fund, with funds budgeted in 2025 through the MFT Fund (Fund 11) and Grant Fund (Fund 13). Additional funds will be allocated in 2026 to complete the engineering phase.
The project includes a protected shared use path, a road diet to reduce traffic lanes for improved safety, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant sidewalks, green spaces separating pedestrian and motorist lanes, concrete curb and gutter, and ADA-compliant crosswalk markings and pedestrian signals. These upgrades are designed to enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists along the corridor.
Director of Public Works Aaron Gavin explained the agreement’s role in advancing the project, telling WGIL, “This is an important step in the development of the project, as it will allow us to proceed with putting together final plans that can be bid to contractors for the construction work.
“Also, completing this preliminary design work will better position us to compete for grant funding for future phases of the project, which include final plans and construction.”
The preliminary design phase, expected to take about one year, will produce a Project Development Report, subject to IDOT approval, setting the stage for final plans to be bid out for construction. According to Gavin, if additional funding is secured, final plans could be developed starting in late 2026, with construction targeted for 2028.
Ward 2 Alderperson Wendel Hunigan said, “On behalf of Ward 2, where this project will be taking place, we thank you. It’s been needed for a long, long time.”
In other business Monday:
• The City Council unanimously approved the $150,000 purchase of the property at 345-363 E. South St., previously occupied by AAA Electric, to support future development near the Amtrak Depot and the National Railroad Hall of Fame. The acquisition, funded through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District #4, connects with adjacent city-owned parcels to form a key downtown block.
Director of Community Development Steve Gugliotta said the purchase enhances long-term planning. “Acquiring the property positions the City to better manage and plan for future use of the block as a whole, giving the City more flexibility for long-term planning and the potential to support future community or economic development opportunities,” he said.
City Manager Eric Hanson emphasized the property’s strategic value, saying “The City has been looking to acquire this particular block for the last 20 years. The city already owns a good chunk of the block, with the exception of just a couple of parcels that remain. It’s adjacent to the depot, and this property is along a corridor where we’re trying to improve the South Street underpass, so there are a number of things that could come about, but none of them could happen without us controlling the property.”
The current owner has 45 days to remove the existing structure, with demolition of any remaining portions scheduled by Nov. 21, 2025. Gugliotta noted that after the owner salvages a steel portion of the building for use elsewhere, the brick portion cannot be salvaged, necessitating demolition.
