Lombard road improvements:

The intersection of Route 53 and Madison Street in Lombard, along with the Hill Avenue bridge, will reopen Friday, Lombard officials said. Both sites have been under construction for months. The original Hill Avenue bridge was removed as part of the project and replaced with a new structure over the East Branch of the DuPage River. The old bridge had deteriorated to the point where heavier vehicles, including school buses, could not use it. The intersection improvements included reducing the slope on Madison Street and installing sidewalks. As a result of the work, southbound traffic on Route 53 now is allowed to turn east on Madison Street leading into Lombard. A traffic signal is scheduled for installation next summer. For more information about Lombard’s construction projects, visit www.villageoflombard.org/construction.

Naperville playgrounds:

Naperville residents can help the park district select equipment for playground renovations planned for Columbia Estates Park at 968 Monticello Drive and Huntington Ridge Park at 1523 Culpepper Drive. The district will host an open house from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at its planning and development office at 425 W. Jackson Ave. Participants can come at any time; there will not be a formal presentation.

Naper Lights open:

The fourth annual Naper Lights display continues for much of this month at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., near downtown Naperville. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise, in conjunction with the settlement, the display is free. It’s open from 5 to 9 p.m. today and Saturday and 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday and then from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday to Dec. 23.

Geneva winter market:

The Geneva Green Market, a winter farmers market, is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through April 29 except Christmas Eve at First Congregational Church of Geneva, 327 Hamilton St. Visit geneva-green-market.org.

Waterline Writers in Batavia:

Waterline Writers will feature storyteller Kimberly Gotches and showcase many of the writers in the Teen Writers and Artists Project, plus director Diana Zwinak and teaching artists Adam Gottlieb, Corey Dillard and Shayne Morgan Phillips, at 7 p.m. Sunday at Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St. in downtown Batavia. In addition to “3 Wordplay” writing workshops, open mics and featured performers monthly, the Elgin-based organization has mentor poetry teams and hosts the annual spoken word poetry competition “Slammin’ the Sun Down.” It’s a preliminary event for poets preparing for Chicago’s “Louder Than A Bomb” competitions in February and March. Admission is $5 or $3 for students. For more information, go to waterlinewriters.org.

Rotary offers retreats:

Do you know of any outstanding high school students who could benefit from developing their leadership skills? If so, encourage them to apply for one of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award retreats from March 9 to 12 and April 6 to 9. Visit stcbreakfastrotary.org. The St. Charles Breakfast Rotary Club welcomes guests and potential new members to the breakfast meetings at 7 a.m. Tuesdays at McNally’s Irish Pub, 109 W. Main St.