Project to close westbound Cuba Road

After having already gone through the headache of Route 22 construction, drivers in Lake County will have to bear a little more gridlock over the next two months.

The Lake County Public Works Department will be working on Cuba Road starting Monday.

The road will handle only eastbound traffic for about 1½ miles from Krueger Road to Old McHenry Road until at least mid-November. The project could last through Dec. 1.

The department will install a new sanitary sewer main. The county has assured residents on the road driveways will not be blocked for long periods.

The village and Lake County determined limiting the road to eastbound traffic was the best tactic, since that is the prevalent direction of the morning rush-hour commute, said Long Grove Village Manager David Lothspeich.

Lothspeich said officials feared that in keeping one lane open for travel in both directions, when no flaggers are present, cars could be coming at each other along the long road.

"This is something we've been working with the county on for over a year," he said.

Drivers can use Route 22, Quentin and Old McHenry roads as alternates.

Kildeer Countryside Elementary District 96 had to re-route some of the buses that normally travel down Cuba Road.

Six bus routes at three schools -- Kildeer Elementary, Willow Grove Kindergarten and Woodlawn Middle -- are directly affected by the construction, said Randall Warren, director of facilities and transportation.

The district has been working with transportation provider Laidlaw Education Services over the past week to come up with some alternates.

"The revised schedules are going home with students today," Warren said Thursday. "We hope it doesn't affect (travel time), but we won't really know until we start next week."