Batavia gets state's OK for River Street closures

BATAVIA – The Illinois Department of Transportation has granted the city of Batavia permission to close North River Street to vehicle traffic on Fridays and Saturdays through the end of the year.

The city made the request in response to a plea last month from Batavia MainStreet, which organizes downtown festivals and promotes merchant activity in the central business district.

MainStreet Executive Director Jamie Saam said planning is underway for a Friday street party sometime in October.

The idea will be for the first two blocks of North River, from East Wilson Street to Spring Street, to be closed off to vehicles starting at 2 p.m. on a designated Friday.

By the late afternoon or early evening, the MainStreet-sponsored event would get underway, with live music, an art show and other family-oriented activities, Saam said.

Tables and chairs would be set up in the street to allow people to enjoy food bought at nearby restaurants, Saam said.

The street would reopen to vehicle traffic by 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Every Saturday from June through October, the street is closed off for the Batavia Farmer’s Market. The market runs from 8 a.m. to noon.

The street is closed to vehicles ahead of the event to allow for setup, and usually reopens about 3 p.m. the same day.

While MainStreet board members had suggested closing off the street every Friday whether a special event was involved or not, City Administrator Laura Newman refused.

“We don’t want to just close the street,” Newman said. “We wouldn’t want there not to be anything going on there and having the street closed.”

MainStreet wants to reinforce the street’s image as a destination for shopping and night-life.

The group is concerned that construction on the One Washington Place redevelopment project, expected to begin next spring, will present a major challenge to North River Street businesses.

Saam returned to the organization’s top staff job only days after MainStreet board members had appeared before the Batavia City Council to request the street closure.

The first block of North River, from East Wilson Street, is paved with bricks and lined with planters and benches but no curbs, in an arrangement design to slow vehicle traffic and allow pedestrians and bicyclists to share the roadway.

Closing the street to vehicle traffic requires a time-specific permit from IDOT, because the portion of East Wilson with which North River intersects is part of state Route 25.

The city already had a permit to close the street to allow for the farmer’s market.

Meanwhile, North River Street will be closed Sept. 27 through 29 for the annual Oktoberfest celebration sponsored by MainStreet. The event features German food, beer and music, children’s events and entertainment.

Oktoberfest runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 28 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29.