Streator passes on brick restoration, uses savings to redo 1 more street

The Streator City Council opted Wednesday to repave an additional street in 2024, rather than restore West Grant and LaRue streets in brick.

Streator City Engineer Jeremy Palm presented the council Wednesday with two options for the city’s five-year road construction plan.

In the first option, the city would restore West LaRue and Grant streets to their original brick surface in 2024 for about $635,000. The city restored the 100 block of West Stanton Street in brick in 2019, and Palm said the street has held up well, but the construction is more costly than traditional resurfacing.

The second option proposed resurfacing West LaRue and Grant streets with an overlay over the bricks for about $453,000. The savings would allow the city to resurface the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Baker Street near Northlawn School.

In both proposals, curbs and gutters would be installed on LaRue and Grant streets.

The council voted 4-1 in favor of the option that includes resurfacing Baker Street. Mayor Tara Bedei provided the only dissenting vote, saying she is a big fan of the brick and she doesn’t like losing the city’s history. Streator was home to two brickyards in its past.

City Council member David Reed said he appreciates the city’s history, but as much as he likes to celebrate it, the city has to be a good steward to taxpayers.

The city also plans to overlay the 100 to 900 blocks of Iowa Avenue and Porter Street with curb and gutter installation.

Looking ahead, the city plans to resurface the 100 to 600 blocks of North Illinois Street, the 800 block of East Morrell Street, the 1200 block of North Shabbona Street, the 1300 to 1700 blocks of North Shabbona Street and the 200 to 700 blocks of Bronson Street in 2025; the 1300 and 1400 blocks of North Everett Street, the 600 and 700 blocks of East Ralph Plumb Street, the 100 to 600 blocks of Boys Street, and the 200 to 700 blocks of Fourth Street in 2026; the 800 block of West Grant Street, the 100 block of Oak Street, the 200 block of High Street, the 1000 to 1300 block of East Kent Street and the 100 to 300 blocks of West Sumner Street in 2027; and the 100 to 400 blocks of Penn Street, the 1200 block of Watson Street, the 200 to 300 blocks of South Colorado Street, the 500 to 600 blocks of Shabbona Street and the 600 to 700 blocks of Barnhart Street in 2028.