Huntley roadwork to come on Kreutzer, Rt. 47
By mid-September, motorists driving through Huntley will have another road project to contend with that involves the closure of the railroad crossing at Kreutzer Road.
Meanwhile, authorities from the Illinois Department of Transportation hope to finish most of the $23.6 million lane widening project on Route 47 this year, but say additional work will need to done in the spring, no matter what.
Officials at Union Pacific Railroad will close the rough crossing on Kreutzer Road, about a mile east of Route 47, for five days while they smoothen it out.
The work involves replacing the surface beneath the rails and replacing it with concrete, said Mark Davis, a Union Pacific spokesman.
“That tends to wear better than any other surface,” Davis said.
The project is expected to take four days, but the railroad has asked for an extra day in case of weather issues. While the crossing is closed, you will need to take an alternate route.
Huntley and railroad officials have not yet agreed on an exact date for the work but say it will take place in mid-September. As for the Route 47 widening project between Kreutzer and Reed roads, the goal is to complete the bulk of the work within the next few weeks.
“We’re hopeful that we can finish the pavement work this fall and have the new traffic onto the new lanes, but we also are prepared that the project could stretch into next spring,” IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell said.
The project started in April 2010 and involves adding two lanes each way on Route 47 on the 2½-mile stretch. A construction strike in 2010 and utility relocation issues are the reason for the project’s delay, Tridgell said.
This week, the entrance to the Centegra Immediate Care facility and Castle Bank are still closed. As well, crews are pouring concrete at several sites along the way, with flaggers controlling traffic.
New, temporary entrances to businesses should surface on the east side of Route 47 between Main Street and Reed Road.
The work that will take place in the spring no matter what involves sidewalk installation and landscaping, Tridgell said.
“We are asking people to remain patient just a little longer,” Tridgell said. “It will be well worth the wait.”