Lake Forest entry may reduce traffic
Illinois tollway board members will determine whether a temporary entry to a sprawling Lake Forest business park is built in an effort to reduce traffic snarls during reconstruction and widening of the Route 60 bridge.
If built, the temporary back-door access would lead from the Tri-State Tollway's Lake Forest oasis north of Route 60 to Conway Park. The main entrance to the office campus is off Route 60 east of the tollway.
Major Conway Park tenants include Brunswick Corp., Trustmark Cos., TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. and Pactiv Corp. Also at Conway Park are the Chicago Bears' training facility and executive offices.
Lake Forest Mayor S. Michael Rummel said he's hopeful the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board will vote favorably on the oasis plan at a meeting Thursday. Rummel said time is of the essence to construct the temporary access road.
"If it doesn't get approved at this meeting, it's dead," Rummel said Monday.
Work on the east-west Route 60 bridge over the tollway is expected to launch by the middle of next month, finishing in December 2008. The bridge will be expanded to three through lanes and two left-turn lanes in each direction.
Rummel said commuters may check www.stuckonsixty.com for construction updates and other information.