2017 Lake County Road Projects Announced

LAKE COUNTY, IL - The Lake County Division of Transportation will complete $94 million in road projects across the county in 2017. This past week, local transportation officials announced roads that are slated for reconstruction and resurfacing this year.

Two of the main projects, which got underway in 2016 and are continuing into this year, is the grade separation, widening and reconstruction of Washington Street and the reconstruction of Deerfield Road. Construction work on Washington Street is currently underway between Washington and North Lake streets in Grayslake to Washington Street just west of Hainesville Road in Round Lake Park.

The Deerfield Road project is a joint project with the village of Deerfield and the city of Highland Park. Both the Deerfield Road project and the Washington Street project are funded by $56 million in funds carried over from 2016.

In total, the Lake County Division of Transportation will have 28 active construction projects this year.

New this year is is an expansion project to reconstruct and widen Cedar Lake Road from Route 120 to Nippersink Road, according to Lake County DOT officials. The plan is to reconstruct the road from 2 lanes to 3 lanes of pavement to accommodate a center turn lane. This project will include a new multi-use path with a connection to the Forest Preserve. In 2017, much of the construction for this project will be limited to a large culvert replacement with a road closure, utility relocation, and other off-road work. The main roadway work will begin in 2018, according to the news release.

Also on the schedule for this year there will be several operational improvement projects. Operational improvement projects include intersection improvements, traffic signal work, and additional bike path and pedestrian accommodations. For example, there will be a sidewalk improvement project to address a gap at the CNRR tracks on the south side of Aptakisic Road between Weiland Road and Bond Street in the village of Buffalo Grove, according to the news release.

A new concrete sidewalk will be installed with new railroad pedestrian gates and flashers. Other examples under the operational improvement category include projects to expand Lake County PASSAGE coverage and signal interconnections through more corridors.

Much of the remaining work planned in 2017 falls under the preservation category, which includes resurfacing projects, culvert replacements and bridge repairs. Maintaining and preserving our current system takes top priority when putting together our annual improvement plan, according to the news release.

"Typically when announcing the annual construction program, it’s usually the big projects that are most noteworthy. And the past few years we’ve done some very big expansion projects which have made a significant impact on addressing congestion. But this year, I think the heavier focus on preserving our system is equally as important," Aaron Lawlor, Chairman of the Lake County Board, said. "Spending tax dollars responsibly to perform preservation improvements at the right time, saves dollars down the road. Here in Lake County we budget and plan accordingly to keep our roads, bridges, bike paths and other assets in good condition.”

Well planned and executed maintenance and preservation efforts extend the life of a road, before they become costly repairs or replacements. If implemented at the right time, patching and resurfacing can be more cost effective than a full replacement.

"We are committed to enhancing many modes of transportation. That is why many of the resurfacing projects will be adding bike-friendly shoulders. We believe that the public right-of-way is to be shared and well-designed road corridors should accommodate all users," Ann Maine, Chair of the Public Works and Transportation Committee, said. “Extending the shoulder while we are already working to resurface the road provides a big safety benefit for both cyclists and motorists. This is an effective way to make the road safer, and it enhances our larger non-motorized program."

Resurfacing Line-Up

The asterisks next to a road project means bike-friendly shoulders will be added during resurfacing.

• 9th Street – Lewis Ave to IL 137*
• 21st Street – IL 131 to Kenosha Road*
• Aptakisic Road – Buffalo Grove Road to US45/IL121
• Bonner Road – Darrell Road to US12/IL59
• Buffalo Grove Road – North of Lake Cook Road to IL83
• Darrell Road – IL176 to south of Burnett Road*
• Delany Road – US41 to north of Sunset Ave
• Fairfield Road – North of IL134 to north of Rollins Road*
• Grass Lake Road – East of IL83 to Deep Lake Road*
• Greenleaf Street – North of IL120 to Washington Street*
• Hunt Club Road – Grand Hunt Drive to Washington Street
• Lewis Avenue - 14th Street to IL 120 (patching/partial resurface)
• Lewis Avenue - Wadsworth Road to 21st Street
• Rollins Road – Hook Drive to IL Route 132 (Microsurfacing)
• Russell Road – East of I-94 to Kilbourne Road*
• Saunders Road – North of Lake Cook Road to south of Deerfield Road
• York House Road – East of IL 131 to Lewis Ave*

For more information on road projects and to check out the Division of Transportation's interactive construction map, visit the Lake County Division of Transportation website.