One major project has been removed from the Naperville Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan while another project has been added. It is the latest update in the city’s years-long push to improve the DuPage River walkway in time for its 50th anniversary — and the city’s 200th — in 2031. There are a doz en projects the city plans to tackle as part of the plan, including such things as new path sections and ecological riverbank restoration. Some of those projects, like the Paddleboat Quarry overlooks and the revamped Eagle Street Gateway, have already been completed. However, an artist’s overlook, which was part of the original 2031 master plan, was taken out off the updated plan due to concerns about “project benefits and feasibility,” according to a memo written by Naperville Deputy City Engineer Andy Hynes. Concerns around permitting for the project and a lack of interest in the overlook contributed to its removal, according to Jan Erickson, chair of the Naperville Riverwalk Commission. “The whole idea originally came from one of our student commissioners, and we had a couple of folks on the commission at that point in time that were focused on the arts,” Erickson said. Initially, the overlook was to be built along the east extension of the Riverwalk and include permanent easels for people of all skill levels to use. Early estimates for the addition put the cost at somewhere between $121,600 to $173,700. But as commissioners talked more with Naperville residents about the ideas included in the master plan, there appeared to be little interest in the overlook. This conceptual illustration shows proposed improvements to the Naperville Riverwalk's Eagle Street south bank that have been added to Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan. (Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan) “They talk about some of the other projects, but that one is really rarely mentioned, so you kind of get the idea that, well, maybe that’s something that we shouldn’t be doing,” Erickson said. Beyond the cost was the fact that the overlook was to extend into the waterway, which would have required special permitting from DuPage County. “There’s different kinds of permitting that has to happen through the county for stormwater conveyance and other kinds of things like that,” Erickson said. The time needed to go through the permitting process and the cost involved did not make the project worth it, she said. Furthermore, while the artist’s overlook would have contributed to the overall appearance and hospitality of the Riverwalk, it would have had little impact on improving the ecology of the area, she said. Instead, a new project has been conceived, spurred by the construction of the now revamped Eagle Street Gateway. Improvements are being proposed for the south bank of the river west of Eagle Street, located across from the gateway. One of the original sections constructed for the Riverwalk in the 1980s, the 361-linear-foot walkway has an upper and lower levels. The upper portion provides views of the Landforms sculpture, Paddleboat Quarry, Millennium Carillon, Farmers Plaza and the Cliff Preston Memorial, according to the updated master plan. “There was conversation about the new Eagle Street Gateway … and thinking in terms of people really having the opportunity to sit and enjoy the space looking south across the river toward the large quarry. And right now that particular stretch of the Riverwalk is not in great shape,” Erickson said. The lower walkway, in particular, is in poor condition, lacking “barrier-free connectivity,” the master plan said. It should be updated to “ensure proper width and slope for safety and ADA purposes,” the plan said. It’s also not completely accessible to the public, with a ramp that connects the lower walkway and the upper walkway ending in steps. “If we can redo that lower walkway, add a real ramp that makes it completely accessible, it will become more stable, we can remove some of the invasive plantings that are between the lower walkway and the upper walkway, making it more lovely and feasible,” Erickson said. Costs for the new project proposal are currently unknown. This map shows the footprint of a park planned for 430 S. Washington St. as part of the Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan. It will serve as a gateway to downtown Naperville and North Central College. (Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan) “There are about five or six different things that we consider when looking at a project: maintain or improve ecology and habitat, complete connectivity gaps, increase or expand capacity, make sure that it’s safe and accessible with hospitality and the appearance of what the Riverwalk currently is,” she said. “The new project hits all of those.” Also slated for next year is construction on the South Gateway project, according to the Riverwalk plan. The South Gateway project would improve a largely unused 1.8-acre segment along the southern end of walkway, allowing people to go from Edward Hospital’s campus across a new pedestrian bridge over an existing drainage channel near Martin Avenue, along the river and under the Hillside Road bridge. Project estimates put the cost at about $5.15 million, up from a prior estimate of $3 million. Construction on the park space at 430 S. Washington St. near Burger King is also scheduled for completion in 2026. The park addition, with a projected $2.25 million price tag, will serve as a gateway to downtown and North Central College, the updated master plan said. [email protected] ...read more read less