What you need to know about Route 14 closing in Barrington

Work soon will begin on a railroad crossing improvement project expected to create 10 difficult days for drivers who use Route 14 through Barrington.

Canadian National Railway plans to start resurfacing its Route 14 crossing near Lake Zurich Road on June 4, a project that could keep a stretch of the thoroughfare closed between Lake-Cook and Route 59 until June 14.

Also known as Northwest Highway, Route 14 receives 27,600 daily vehicle trips on the southeast side approaching Route 59 in Barrington and 25,400 on the northwest lanes near Lake-Cook Road, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

"Like any road surface, grade-crossing road surfaces require periodic maintenance and repair," CN spokesman Patrick Waldron said Tuesday.

CN and IDOT representatives said local traffic will be allowed to reach businesses, homes, the Barrington Area Library and the village's public safety building.

Barrington spokeswoman Patty Dowd Schmitz said the village is optimistic the work won't go the distance.

"While IDOT and CN are saying that the road can be closed up to 10 days, our experience with these closures has been that they don't generally last that long, that they do try to contain them within that week," Schmitz said.

Barrington officials are urging the use of two detours through the village's downtown during the CN construction.

Drivers who typically travel northwest on Route 14 should go west on Lake-Cook to Route 59/Hough Street. After traveling north on Route 59, drivers can turn left onto Route 14.

Those going southeast on Route 14 will need to turn right on Route 59 and left onto Lake-Cook Road, known as Main Street in Barrington. They can resume their southeast trip where Route 14 meets Lake-Cook.

Barrington Area Library spokeswoman Karen McBride said the local access will allow the facility to be open as usual during the construction. She said a full slate of programs and activities is scheduled the week of June 4 to start the summer season.

"We will remind our visitors about the need to use the detour," McBride said, "and advise them to allow extra travel time, and to use caution when driving in the vicinity of the construction work."

Meanwhile, IDOT plans a resurfacing project on Route 14 this summer. Barrington officials said CN was asked to accelerate its crossing work at Route 14 so it would be finished before the road repairs.

IDOT spokeswoman Gianna Urgo said the $1.3 million project should start Aug. 1 and finish in the fall. Route 14 will be resurfaced nearly 5 miles from North Cummor Avenue on the west to Lake-Cook on the east, with temporary lane closures and traffic shifts during construction.

Route 14 crossing work in Barrington

What: Route 14 railroad crossing improvements near Lake Zurich Road in Barrington.

When: Starts June 4.

Detours: Route 14 will be completely closed between Lake-Cook Road and Route 59 except for local traffic. Drivers who typically travel northwest should go west on Lake-Cook to Route 59/Hough Street. After traveling north on Route 59, drivers can turn left onto Route 14. Those traveling southeast on Route 14 should turn right on Route 59 and left onto Lake-Cook. They can resume their southeast trip where Route 14 meets Lake-Cook.

Length: Up to 10 days, but Barrington officials are optimistic the work will finish sooner.

Source: Village of Barrington