April 15, 2020
Lake County 2020 Construction Program
The start of spring is also the start of road construction season. The sight of orange construction cones normally means traffic delays. But due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many motorists are staying off the roads, allowing crews to make further progress on projects.
Because traffic is down nearly 45 percent since the Illinois stay at home order went into effect, construction crews are working at all times of the day, including during morning and evening rush hour.
Crews are finding safe ways to work and are following social distancing guidelines. Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) workers are traveling in separate vehicles to job sites and are wearing personal protective equipment while on the job.
"Safety of our workforce and our contractors is our top priority," said Shane Schneider, Director of Transportation. "We are taking all necessary precautions and following CDC guidelines as we continue to advance essential infrastructure projects."
Road projects that are currently underway are expected to progress as planned, but COVID-19 could have an impact on both current and future projects.
The annual construction program typically consists of projects in three categories: preservation, modernization and expansion. Maintaining and preserving our roads, including resurfacing projects, culvert replacements and other maintenance items, is the top priority as this work ensures that Lake County roads are safe to drive on.
"There are substantial shovel-ready and essential service transportation projects that would jump-start our local and regional economies," said Bill Durkin, Chair of the Public Works, Planning and Transportation Committee. "We acknowledge that the COVID-19 response is a changing situation. While we don't know yet the full extent of the financial impact, we will put emphasis on completing essential safety projects if a change to the upcoming construction schedule is needed."
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to negatively impact local revenue used to fund transportation, which includes the State motor fuel tax, the County's 1/4% sales tax dedicated to transportation, and property tax based funds.
Lake County is actively evaluating sources of financial assistance opportunities through the federal government.
"We are working with our federal legislators to identify funding opportunities for our infrastructure needs," said Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart. "This would help to replace transportation funding shortfalls and ensure LCDOT can operate and maintain our transportation systems without disruption and allow the continuation of projects and plans to help support the recovery of our local economy."
At this time, no changes have been made to the 2020 construction program, however, projects are subject to change based on funding availability. Residents can use LCDOT's Interactive Construction Map to find the project they're interested in. The map will be updated throughout the year if changes are made to the construction schedule.
Stay Informed
Lake County PASSAGE: Get real-time, local traffic info through lakecountypassage.com, email traffic alerts, Twitter alerts, and the PASSAGE smartphone apps.
Social Media: Get the latest information, important updates, and take a peek behind the scenes by following LCDOT on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Email Notifications: Sign up for General Transportation notifications or information about road closures, bike paths, specific projects, and more.
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