Roadwork season underway in the southern suburbs
The Memorial Day weekend is generally viewed as the official start of summer, and with the higher temperatures it also ushers in a new season of road construction in the region.
Some projects are relatively minor, as far as causing traffic issues, while others, such as the ongoing widening of 159th Street/ Illinois Route 7/U.S. Route 6, are at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Drivers have encountered lengthy delays along 159th/Route 6 as construction of two new eastbound lanes has been progressing.
The entire project extends from about Interstate 355 on the west to just west of LaGrange Road on the east, and is estimated to cost $105 million.
The project will create two 12-foot-wide lanes in each direction separated by a raised and curbed median; intersection improvements at 104th and 108th avenues and Cedar, Parker, North Bell, South Bell, Will-Cook and Wolf roads; and a recreational path and sidewalk along that stretch, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Utility line relocation and tree removal got underway two years ago, and the widening initially had been scheduled to wrap up by the end of this year.
IDOT expects the new eastbound lanes to be completed this fall, allowing the project to move to the second phase of building the two new westbound lanes.
The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways recently announced plans to improve roads in nearly 20 suburbs, including a number locally, at a cost of $23.2 million.
Among the projects is reconstruction of 156th Street between Halsted Street and Commercial Avenue in Harvey. The work will include rehabbing water mains and installing landscaping, with the project expected to be finished in the fall, according to the county. In Riverdale, the intersection of Halsted and 144th streets will be improved, with work including sidewalk and pedestrian crossing upgrades and traffic signal modifications. The project is scheduled for completion this summer.
Some area roads and intersections will be resurfaced as part of the county’s road program. A section of Joe Orr Road between Cottage Grove Avenue and Stony Island Avenue, near Ford Heights and Lynwood, will be resurfaced.
The intersections of Kedzie Avenue at 163rd Street in Markham, and Kedzie and Flossmoor Road in Flossmoor, will be rehabbed, as will the Kedzie frontage roads along the east and west sides of the street between 143rd and 141st streets in Blue Island and Robbins. Also scheduled for resurfacing will be the intersection of Richton Square Road and Sauk Trail in Richton Park, and in Park Forest, the intersection of Sauk Trail and Lakewood Boulevard/Blackhawk Drive is in line for work.
In Will County, work continues on a widening of 135th Street between New Avenue and Smith Road, near Lockport and Romeoville, according to Jeff Ronaldson, the county’s director of transportation. The project involves converting the two-lane road to four lanes, with an additional center turn lane.
The work is expected to cost about $8.7 million and will carry over into the 2018 construction season, he said.
In June, the county expects work to start on improvements to the intersection of Laraway and Spencer roads in New Lenox Township. Work will include adding turn lanes and installing traffic signals and is scheduled to wrap up before the middle of August, Ronaldson said.
The timing of the work is of concern to officials with New Lenox School District 122, which has three schools north of the intersection — Spencer Crossing, Spencer Pointe and Spencer Trail. Ronaldson said that while the project won’t be entirely completed by the time the new school year starts, the bulk of construction should be done.
Construction already has started on a new deck on the bridge carrying Will Road over the Kankakee River, near Wilmington, Ronaldson said. The bridge is closed to traffic, and the $2.6 million project is expected to be completed in November, he said.
The county also is hoping to award a contract this summer for the redecking of the bridge carrying Channahon-Minooka Road over the I&M Canal, Ronaldson said.
The county is awaiting final approval from IDOT for the project. mnolan@tribpub.com Twitter @mnolan_j
Some projects are relatively minor, as far as causing traffic issues, while others, such as the ongoing widening of 159th Street/ Illinois Route 7/U.S. Route 6, are at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Drivers have encountered lengthy delays along 159th/Route 6 as construction of two new eastbound lanes has been progressing.
The entire project extends from about Interstate 355 on the west to just west of LaGrange Road on the east, and is estimated to cost $105 million.
The project will create two 12-foot-wide lanes in each direction separated by a raised and curbed median; intersection improvements at 104th and 108th avenues and Cedar, Parker, North Bell, South Bell, Will-Cook and Wolf roads; and a recreational path and sidewalk along that stretch, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Utility line relocation and tree removal got underway two years ago, and the widening initially had been scheduled to wrap up by the end of this year.
IDOT expects the new eastbound lanes to be completed this fall, allowing the project to move to the second phase of building the two new westbound lanes.
The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways recently announced plans to improve roads in nearly 20 suburbs, including a number locally, at a cost of $23.2 million.
Among the projects is reconstruction of 156th Street between Halsted Street and Commercial Avenue in Harvey. The work will include rehabbing water mains and installing landscaping, with the project expected to be finished in the fall, according to the county. In Riverdale, the intersection of Halsted and 144th streets will be improved, with work including sidewalk and pedestrian crossing upgrades and traffic signal modifications. The project is scheduled for completion this summer.
Some area roads and intersections will be resurfaced as part of the county’s road program. A section of Joe Orr Road between Cottage Grove Avenue and Stony Island Avenue, near Ford Heights and Lynwood, will be resurfaced.
The intersections of Kedzie Avenue at 163rd Street in Markham, and Kedzie and Flossmoor Road in Flossmoor, will be rehabbed, as will the Kedzie frontage roads along the east and west sides of the street between 143rd and 141st streets in Blue Island and Robbins. Also scheduled for resurfacing will be the intersection of Richton Square Road and Sauk Trail in Richton Park, and in Park Forest, the intersection of Sauk Trail and Lakewood Boulevard/Blackhawk Drive is in line for work.
In Will County, work continues on a widening of 135th Street between New Avenue and Smith Road, near Lockport and Romeoville, according to Jeff Ronaldson, the county’s director of transportation. The project involves converting the two-lane road to four lanes, with an additional center turn lane.
The work is expected to cost about $8.7 million and will carry over into the 2018 construction season, he said.
In June, the county expects work to start on improvements to the intersection of Laraway and Spencer roads in New Lenox Township. Work will include adding turn lanes and installing traffic signals and is scheduled to wrap up before the middle of August, Ronaldson said.
The timing of the work is of concern to officials with New Lenox School District 122, which has three schools north of the intersection — Spencer Crossing, Spencer Pointe and Spencer Trail. Ronaldson said that while the project won’t be entirely completed by the time the new school year starts, the bulk of construction should be done.
Construction already has started on a new deck on the bridge carrying Will Road over the Kankakee River, near Wilmington, Ronaldson said. The bridge is closed to traffic, and the $2.6 million project is expected to be completed in November, he said.
The county also is hoping to award a contract this summer for the redecking of the bridge carrying Channahon-Minooka Road over the I&M Canal, Ronaldson said.
The county is awaiting final approval from IDOT for the project. mnolan@tribpub.com Twitter @mnolan_j
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