The Village of Park Forest is set to bolster its DownTown promotional efforts by installing a new LED sign on village-owned land just south of CVS Pharmacy, near the corner of Western Avenue and Main Street.

Village officials, during their June 9 board meeting, unveiled plans calling for an LED sign similar in design and function to the existing one at Lincoln Highway and Orchard Drive. The new digital display will be 50.2” x 113” and the logo area will be 45” x 113” and will feature messaging to advertise events, business promotions, and public-service announcements to the nearly 15,000 vehicles that pass by this location daily.

According to the Village’s Five-Year Capital Plan, the sign’s installation is scheduled for fiscal year 2025–26, with associated landscaping and site preparation included in the scope.

It will feature coordinated electrical connections managed in partnership with ComEd.

The decision follows a community survey that indicated strong local support for enhanced visibility in the downtown area.

“Results from the survey indicated that a sign on Western and Main would benefit the DownTown businesses and Village events,” the Signage Plan states.

BACKGROUND

Park Forest previously installed an Orchard–Route 30 LED sign more than a decade ago, at a cost of approximately $100,000. The hardware has since been updated—including software upgrades and hardware replacements in FY 2020–21—but remains sound, as it it was upgraded with new technology and software in September 2024.

That sign served as a test case for digital advertising and community updates, offering both long-term promotions and short-term messaging. The new sign is expected to mirror that success by supporting local merchants and improving access to information.

Fully funded through grants, with an estimate cost of $124,950, Village officials said they'll update the public in the near future once work will start on the sign.