St. Charles Route 64 work to start next week
St. Charles’ Main Street is set to become a main source of commuter headaches starting April 16 as the state launches a massive reconstruction, widening and resurfacing of Route 64.
The $49.2 million project will take more than a year to complete. Including construction during the winter, the project won’t be finished until August 2013.
The 5.2-mile length of the project will impact traffic from 7th Avenue in St. Charles at the western boundary to Route 59 on the eastern limits of the project. The work includes bridge reconstruction, but state officials said the Route 64 bridge over the railroad tracks at Powis Road will be open to traffic during the construction. There will be significant construction at that intersection since a portion of the project includes the demolition of the old Diamonds Gentlemen’s Club building.
Commuters will benefit from a lane widening stretching from 7th Avenue to Dunham Road and additional turn lanes to help improve the flow of traffic. New, dedicated left turn lanes will be located at every significant cross street instead of just the major intersections. The existing shoulder will also be replaced with curb and gutter on both sides of the road and a fully enclosed storm sewer system for the roadway. The entire stretch will also have streetlights for the first time as well as interconnected traffic signals.
The stretch of Route 64 from Dunham to Kautz Road at Pheasant Run will be entirely resurfaced and receive updated traffic signal detectors to help traffic flow. The geometry of this section will remain unchanged.
From Kautz Road to Route 59, the project calls for three lanes of traffic in each direction with a landscaped median in between. There will also be a new storm sewer system constructed under that median to improve roadway drainage. This section will also receive new, interconnected traffic signals. St. Charles will also see significant portions of its water main removed and replaced during the project.
St. Charles officials will add to the construction work by making intersection improvements at Route 64 and Oak Street. The city’s project includes roadway widening, new sidewalks and updated traffic signals. The city’s work will begin May 1 and run through July 30.
Message boards along the route will be put in place about a week before work starts on both of the projects to alert drivers about which lanes will be closed at various segments of the construction.
State officials also created a website with detailed project information that will include updates throughout the construction. A list of contacts is also available at the website: http://www.dot.state.il.us/IL64/index.html.