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March 26, 2015
This year, the Lake
County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) will have $137 million in road projects under construction making for another busy
construction season! While about $60 million of that is carried over from projects
that were started last year, there will be about $77 million in new projects, which are expected to be awarded during the first six months of 2015. The plan includes 24 projects, 11 of which contain non-motorized travel improvements, such as bike paths, or adding bike friendly lanes.
Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said, “The 2015 construction program highlights the County Board’s commitment to relieving traffic gridlock while, at the same time, aligning transportation projects with economic development priorities. A safe and efficient transportation system not only contributes to a high quality of life for the residents of Lake County, but also helps move goods and services through the county for our businesses and allows people to get to their jobs. The Peterson Road Corridor is a great example of planning road improvements through the lens of economic development.”
Two significant expansion
projects include the Peterson Road Corridor and the Washington Street
Thoroughfare projects. In addition to expanding roads to add capacity, Lake
County is investing in preserving roads through resurfacing, which helps extend
the life of the road.
The 2015
program includes several resurfacing projects, such as portions of Lewis Avenue in Waukegan
and North Chicago, Center Street in Grayslake, Quentin Road in Deer Park, and
others around the county.
 Lake County is
also modernizing the system by expanding the PASSAGE network.
Lake County PASSAGE is an Intelligent Transportation System designed to provide
motorists real-time traffic and congestion information. Technology improves travel times for motorists with the
installation of new cameras, fiber optic cables, wireless links, and traffic
signal controllers.
Bonnie Thomson Carter, Public Works and Transportation
Committee Chair explained, “There are more than 500 intersections currently online and
connected to the PASSAGE system and that number continues to grow. PASSAGE also
provides the ability to change signal timings to help alleviate congestion and
assist emergency responders, and uses cameras to monitor traffic situations.”
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 Peterson
Road: The
widening of the Peterson Road corridor is moving forward. The
first part of the project to widen Peterson Road to five lanes from US 45 to
west of IL Route 83 is 80% complete. Construction to widen Peterson Road from IL Route 83 to Alleghany Road is expected to begin
in the first half of 2015 and be complete by the end of 2016.
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 Washington Street: Construction on the remaining sections of the Washington Street Thoroughfare project will begin this year. Part of this project includes lowering Washington
Street and installing a bridge to carry the CN/Metra railroad tracks over the roadway. The roadway will also be reconstructed and widened to five lanes and includes
the installation of concrete walls, ornamental fencing, sidewalk, bike path, a
storm water pump station, and JAWA water main relocation. During construction, traffic on Washington Street
will be traveling on a temporary by-pass roadway.
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Other Projects
to be Completed in 2015:
- Lake
County’s fifth roundabout at the intersection of River Road and
Roberts Road in Lake Barrington
- Bike path
along Washington Street from Atkinson Road to Lancer Lane in Grayslake
- Realignment
of the North Shore Bike Path with new crossing gates at the Union Pacific
Railroad crossing just east of US Route 41 in Lake Bluff
-
Rollins Road
Gateway project in Round Lake Beach at the intersection of Rollins Road
and IL Route 83
-
Wadsworth
Road and IL Route 131 intersection reconstruction and widening
Lake County Division of Transportation Director Paula Trigg said, “This
year, more than ever, we want to connect motorists with the information they
need to navigate through our construction projects. We have added new ways to
connect so that you can get information on the topics that matter to you, when
and where you need it.”
Interactive Construction Map: Residents can use our
interactive map to find the project they're interested in, click on the project
and see the latest information and important updates.
Lake County PASSAGE: We're using technology like never
before to help residents get where they're going and improve transparency. We
continue to expand our PASSAGE system providing real-time, local traffic info
on www.lakecountypassage.com, email traffic alerts, twitter alerts and PASSAGE smartphone
apps.
Social Media: Get
the latest information, important updates, and take a peek behind the scenes to
see the LCDOT in action by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.
Email Notifications: We also have a new email subscription
service available! Visit our list of topics and scroll down to sign up for notifications about
road closures, bike paths, specific projects and MORE.
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