East Peoria Levee District Development

When the City of East Peoria, Illinois, transformed its 85-acre brownfield site into a vibrant downtown, they turned to Fehr Graham to help. We completed Phase I, II and III engineering services for the infrastructure. This area, once dominated by manufacturing facilities, was a hybrid public and private partnership, where the State of Illinois' $24 million public investment resulted in approximately $200 million in private investment.

Our team provided Phase I services, including a Project Development Report (PDR) based on a Group II categorical exclusion. This phase included Type Size and Locations for two three-span bridges over a creek and six Intersection Design Studies – one stop-controlled, four signalized intersections and one roundabout.

Phase II demanded fast-track amendments to the PDR. We suggested a roundabout and a through-lane reduction to improve traffic flow. We incorporated diagonal on-street parking to foster New Urbanism. The City funded a portion of the project to allow for variances in roadway geometrics from Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) policies. Funded mostly by an Illinois Capitol grant, the project required coordination spanning eight years and multiple construction phases. Our team followed IDOT's Phase III construction engineering policies and procedures. The plan included realigning, reconstructing, and widening 0.7 miles of roadway and constructing 1 mile of new roadway.

Infrastructure enhancements included four-lane pavement sections, two-lane New Urbanism features, three major loop-detected signalized intersections, a multilane roundabout and two three-span bridges. Other improvement designs encompassed diagonal street parking, standard and architectural lighting, water mains, sanitary sewers, hydraulic analysis, two new stormwater pump stations, colored concrete pavement and landscaping. The Spinder Drive Bridge required 3D hydraulic modeling to secure permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Fill material was imported to facilitate construction above the abandoned foundry floors, which were rubblized to provide a stable base.

We were strategic about educating potential developers about the No Further Remediation status and assuring them that commercial development could proceed with minimal limitations using standard construction methods. The project featured the first roundabout Intersection Design Study approved by IDOT District 4 and the first roundabout to be constructed in the District, marking a significant milestone.

Our team also designed the Levee District Pedestrian Spine project, implementing more than 1,000 feet of pedestrian pathways, patio spaces, native landscaping, pavement enhancements and efficient stormwater management systems. The project incorporated the area's first Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. This provided a safe pedestrian passage from the regional bike trail through the Levee District.

The Levee District was a unique project that gave the City a chance to construct a modern downtown within its Central Business District. This has fostered local and regional economic growth and enhanced the community's quality of life.