Options for fixing 'Millburn Strangler' narrowed down

The study area spans more than 5 miles, but a mere 330 feet between traffic signals at Millburn and Grass Lake roads is at the epicenter of frustrating traffic jams on Route 45 in northern Lake County.

That choke point is sometimes referred to as the "Millburn Strangler," a configuration that can bring traffic to a crawl particularly during rush hours.

The immediate focus is how best to untie the Strangler, the topic of a public meeting from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, at Millburn West school, 640 Freedom Way, Lindenhurst.

This meeting comes about a year and a half after a first public session, attended by an estimated 250, that led to a variety of ideas.

Since then, 18 possibilities for a bypass have been narrowed to three - two to the west of Route 45 and one to the east. The public session Thursday will focus on the pros and cons of those three finalists.

Officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation, Lake County Division of Transportation and the project consultant will answer questions and discuss how the alternatives were developed and screened.

Exhibits will be displayed and public input will be sought. But a possible solution is not unanimous at this point.

"It's a pretty heated thing," says Bob Holbach, who owns the Millburn Tree Farm on Grass Lake Road west of Route 45. He's also a member of the of the Community Advisory Group, which has assisted the project team in developing options.

Holbach thinks public input is so important that he made a sign late last week and set it in a hay wagon positioned on his driveway to alert Strangler-bound motorists.

"The traffic backing up here in the morning - a lot of people will be reading," he said.

"It will affect a heckuva lot more people than just live right here. There are thousands of people who use this road and they should be informed."

The area has grown considerably with about 16,000 vehicles using Route 45, compared with 4,000 in the early 1970s. Without any improvements, that number is expected to jump to 25,000 in 20 years because of population growth in the adjoining communities of Lindenhurst, Old Mill Creek and Antioch.

Connecting the offset Millburn and Grass Lake roads or widening Route 45 at that point aren't options because of the impact on the Millburn Historic District, a collection of 18 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places on and near Route 45.

A bypass of some type has been envisioned as the answer for 15 years. But the idea languished until it was resurrected and expanded to include an extensive study of the entire Route 45 corridor between Route 173 and Route 132, which is ongoing.

IDOT in the mid-1990s studied a bypass to the west of Route 45 and even designated an alignment and purchased some right of way. But the scope of the study was broadened and started anew.

The cost of the alternate bypass routes ranges from about $13 million to $15 million.

"We have money for the project and it's already been put in our program," said Chuck Gleason, project manager for the Lake County Division of Transportation.

Construction is planned to start in 2014, he added. Thursday's meeting is part of a process to eventually pick a preferred alternative.

The bypass would be four lanes, Gleason said.

"We know it'll be that way someday," he said. "The ultimate goal is when IDOT has the money, they would go four lanes to the north and south of that."

All three bypass plans displace at least one home, with one of the western alternates taking two. Holbach contended a second east side plan could be configured not to take any homes.

"The meeting will give people an opportunity to present their thoughts. Nothing is cast in concrete at this point," he said.