DeKALB | After winter melts away, Annie Glidden Road will bloom into a boulevard.

A construction project on Annie Glidden Road will include renovating the street and adding new businesses.

“The road is undersized. It’s not big enough to accommodate the traffic it sees,” said DeKalb city manager Mark Biernacki.

Because of the traffic throughout the community, especially to and from NIU, the widening is much needed, said DeKalb city engineer Joel Maurer. The road will increase from two lanes to four or more.

“Construction will start up again with a lot of activity this spring, in March, and the bigger part of the project should be completed in November,” Maurer said. “The road will still be open during construction.”

The construction will also aim to beautify Annie Glidden, as the road is the main entrance from the expressway into DeKalb and NIU.

“It will be designed to look more like a boulevard, with trees and other landscaping,” said Paul Rasmussen, the DeKalb economic development administrator.

City officials hope a more eye-catching entrance into the city will entice retailers and restaurants to set up shop in DeKalb.

“Once the job is underway and completed, it will make for a much more attractive investment for those stores and restaurants,” Biernacki said.

Current plans for a small shopping center on the southwest corner of Annie Glidden Road and Taylor Street include a Schnucks grocery store and an ACE Hardware.

“Schnucks will be the anchor store,” Rasmussen said. “It’s fairly large, well-known, and competition for Jewel.”

Sycamore Road has reached its retail capacity, and making space along Annie Glidden Road is valuable to the city, Rasmussen said.

“In the next three, four or five years, there will be a lot more commercial development on Annie Glidden,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen also said four lots for fast food franchises are available and will be occupied by the likes of McDonald’s and other carry-out type restaurants.

“There will probably be a bank in the near future, and in the long term, a fire station,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen hopes businesses tying into NIU, like a hotel, may also come to occupy the space.