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Lake County's $100M road plan: Quentin widening, Route 45 bypass

The weather hasn't cooperated, but one sure sign of spring is about to be unleashed with the Lake County Division of Transportation's announcement Monday of $100 million in road work.

Several big county projects include widening of Quentin Road in the Kildeer/Lake Zurich area; reconstruction and streetscape work along Old McHenry Road in downtown Long Grove; and widening and rebuilding of Cedar Lake Road north of Route 120 in Round Lake.

The long-planned Route 45 bypass in Old Mill Creek/Lindenhurst also is expected to get underway. The project will be funded by the county but managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Lake County more than six years ago budgeted $34 million to ensure completion of the work on the state route.

Lake County also is pursuing “operational” improvements, such as realigning the intersection of Nippersink Road and Wilson Road in Round Lake and interconnecting and coordinating traffic signals on Route 12 from Lake Zurich to Wauconda.

Road preservation work includes eight resurfacing projects and various culvert replacements. Culverts run beneath roads to carry water and can be up to 10-feet in diameter.

Some of the projects, such as Cedar Lake Road, are in their second year and others are starting this year but will take more than one construction season to complete. Start dates are staggered depending on various factors, including when the project goes out to bid.

Nippersink Road work is in progress but widening a segment of Weiland Road north of Lake-Cook Road in Buffalo Grove won't start until fall.

“Sometimes we put these maps out and people get a little scared,” said Glenn Petko, engineer of construction for LCDOT. “It won't all happen at the same time.”

County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said the county will be investing $500 million in transportation over the next six years. About $30 million per year of that amount comes from a one-quarter cent sales tax enacted several years ago to advance larger and more complicated projects like the Route 45 bypass, he added.

One of the stickier projects will be Old McHenry Road through downtown Long Grove, which hosts a variety of festivals, beginning with Chocolate Fest May 18-20. A public open house on the project is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, at Kildeer Countryside Elementary school, 3100 Old McHenry Road.

Motorists also should be aware of IDOT work planned on two heavily traveled routes: Route 120 from Hainesville to Waukegan includes several miles of resurfacing and bridge deck replacements; and resurfacing on Route 132 (Grand Avenue) from Lindenhurst to Waukegan.

Visit https://www.lakecountyil.gov/191/Transportation for details on the 2018 county road program, including a locator map, expected start and finish dates, impact on traffic, and, websites for larger projects.

After decades of talk, Cedar Lake Road realignment has momentum

Nippersink trail connection near Round Lake wrapping up

Is the start of Route 45/Millburn bypass project near?

Big cost added to Quentin Road project

Roadwork will tie up traffic in downtown Long Grove for months

  Roadwork continues Monday on Wilson Road at Nippersink Road near Ingleside. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
  Drivers on Cedar Lake Road in Round Lake are asked to be patient during the ongoing road improvement project. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
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