Ottawa High School to work with police on traffic flow regarding Green Street closure

Starting Monday, July 22, Ottawa’s Green Street and Canal Road from Chapel Street to Old Chicago Road will be closed to all vehicles and pedestrians.

The road is one of two ways to navigate from Ottawa High School and the city’s East Side Historic District – the other being Main Street across the Fox River.

This closure, part of the final phase of the Green Street elevation project, plans to raise the road out of the special flood hazard area. The construction is expected to be finished by Dec. 1, after which the streets will reopen, but in the meantime, the closure will have significant implications for traffic patterns, especially for Ottawa High School and its surrounding neighborhood. The first day of classes at Ottawa High School is Aug. 8.

The biggest issue is making sure that the traffic that needs to only go to the school, goes to the school and then back out by utilization of officers directing traffic.”

—  Brent Roalson, Ottawa police chief

Ottawa High School Superintendent Mike Cushing said the school will work closely with the Ottawa Police Department and school resource officers to manage traffic flow before and after school hours, as well as during home football games when an influx of out-of-town visitors will be making their way to the school.

Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson said there will be certain guidelines during the closure period, including no parking on the Fox River bridge for student pickups, which previously has been allowed.

Roalson emphasized a focus on ensuring residents’ access to the east side while managing traffic direction effectively with officers, similar to measures taken during flood situations in the past.

“The biggest issue is making sure that the traffic that needs to only go to the school goes to the school and then back out by utilization of officers directing traffic,” Roalson said.

During the closure, the intersection at the east end of Chapel Street also will be affected, while Chicago Road will remain open with restrictions on westbound traffic onto Canal Road.

Contractors are actively contacting affected residents to discuss access arrangements during the closure period. The Ottawa Police Department will release all guidelines Monday after the closure goes into effect.

Updates and additional information regarding the closure and traffic management will be provided as the project progresses, Roalson said.