Hassell Road reconstruction set to begin this month

Prep work for the much-anticipated reconstruction of Hassell Road in Hoffman Estates is tentatively scheduled to begin Monday.

The estimated $4.6 million project includes the full removal and replacement of all the pavement, curb and gutters on a 1.5 mile stretch from Barrington Road to Fairway Court.

“We’re looking forward to the project,” said Mike Hankey, director of transportation and engineering.

“It’s probably been, maybe, 10 years since the last resurfacing was done. Public works has done some temporary patching work from time to time, but it’s been in need for a number of years.”

Currently, Hankey said, the four-lane road is in such disrepair that the majority of motorists don’t even use the two outside lanes.

“It’s been on our list of streets that need to be not just resurfaced, but reconstructed completely,” he said, adding that the project finally became feasible when the village was awarded federal funding.

Hankey said the federal Surface Transportation Program will fund 80 percent of the project, up to $4 million.

The village will cover the remaining 20 percent — which is likely to total about $920,000 — with its local share of the state-distributed motor fuel tax fund.

The road will remain about the same width, but the lanes will be modified to one lane in each direction, with a two-way left turn lane in the middle between Barrington Road and Holbrook Lane.

Bike lanes will be striped on the road and new sidewalks will be put in.

Drainage in the area will be improved too, due to the installation of new culverts.

There are four phases to the project, the first of which is scheduled to begin in full force the week of May 20. It will close down the two lanes on the north side of the road from Barrington Road to Kensington Lane.

Hankey said the south two lanes will be temporarily converted to two-way traffic. The situation will be reversed for phase two, which will close down the south two lanes in the same area.

Motorists will be asked to use Higgins Road as a detour during phase three and four as the entire road between Kensington Lane and Fairway Court will be shut down. Village hall access will be through Huntington Boulevard.

Hankey could not estimate when each phase will begin, but said he hopes the entire project will be complete by late fall.

“We understand that it’s a significant road and our goal is to try to keep the work progressing as safely and expeditiously as possible to minimize the amount of time that the work is going,” he said.

Notices about the project were sent to between 150 to 200 businesses and more than 600 residences, Hankey said, adding that a lot of people live or work in the area.

“We know that it’s going to be inconvenient at some points along the way, so we just encourage everyone to try to remain patient,” he said.

Residents can subscribe to email updates on the project by emailing roadconstruction@ hoffmanestates.org and putting “Hassell Road” in the subject line.

Updates will also be posted at hoffmanestates.com/roadconstruction.