The availability of parking along Oak Park Avenue in Tinley Park’s historic downtown long has been a sore point with merchants there, so getting rid of on-street spaces at that location, as the village plans, might seem a curious solution.
However, village officials say there still will be sufficient parking, thanks to the recent addition of about 50 spaces in a municipal lot at 173rd Place and Oak Park.
They also hope that prohibiting on-street parking and adding a left-turn lane will make the street more navigable during commuter rush hours and on Saturdays.
“This will certainly relieve the pressure,” village engineer Chris King said Tuesday. “Your flow of traffic will be much, much smoother.”
At a joint meeting Tuesday, Tinley’s Public Works and Transportation Committees voted to prohibit parking on Oak Park from 173rd Street to 174th Place and to install a turn lane along those blocks.
King said the street would lose about 20 “active” parking spaces, meaning those that are actually used, but has gained about 50 with the addition of the municipal lot.