Drivers are going to feel the squeeze

Things are going to get a little tight at the Randall Road/Route 64 project in St. Charles this week.

Southbound traffic from the railroad tracks to Route 64, and eastbound traffic from Oak Street to Randall Road, will be reduced from two lanes to one.

Over at Kirk Road

Kane County Construction Chief Dave Boesch reports that landscaping and light pole installation is scheduled for today through Wednesday. Then on Thursday, we enter stage three of the project; There will be two through lanes for westbound traffic, one through lane for eastbound traffic, plus a left-turn lane in each direction.

They'll begin removing pavement to complete the left-turn lanes and medians. Be on the lookout for occasional daytime lane closures for westbound traffic.

Traffic patterns will stay the same on Kirk Road, probably until at least Sept. 24.

First Street

Additional lane and road closures are planned over the next few weeks in connection with construction of the parking deck.

A contractor for AT&T and Nicor will replace gas mains and other underground conduits on First Street from Indiana to Walnut streets, starting today. The eastbound lanes of Prairie Street will be closed during the day for two days.

City officials say that once the replaced concrete panels at the south end of First Street cure, First will be open to through traffic. They anticipate this happening by Friday. The first set of concrete panels cracked.

Twelve trailer loads of pre-cast concrete building panels are due to be delivered Tuesday off Walnut Street, and they think they'll get the storm sewer crossings on Illinois finished this week.

Fabyan Elementary

Bike path construction continues this week, with the laying of the stone base, then paving, at the Geneva school being built on Fabyan Parkway.

Batavia

Enough about the bridge. Time to think about another area of the downtown.

From 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday there is an open house regarding North River Street. The city wants to hear from business and property owners there about a proposal to improve how it looks, including sidewalks, lighting, public art, parking, signs drainage and utilities.

There will be a continuous slide show of existing conditions and possible improvements. At 6 p.m. the designer and city workers will make a presentation, including a timetable.

People can give their preferences on feedback sheets attached to a large map of the area.

For more information, call Jerry Swanson, community development director, at (630) 879-1412, ext. 408.

I-88

The right shoulder will be closed from Finley Road to I-355 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.

The left shoulder continues to be closed from Route 31 west to Route 56. It's expected to stay that way through Nov. 20.