McHenry Co. ready to open new Algonquin Road

After years of planning, months of work and millions of dollars spent, McHenry County officials this week hope to open a new, four-lane stretch of Algonquin Road through Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley.

Jeff Young, assistant county engineer with the McHenry County Division of Transportation, said officials expect to have the new lanes open to traffic by the end of the week, or early next week at the very latest.

"Right now everything is looking good," Young said. "We've got a few more loose ends to tie up and we'll see how it goes."

County officials believe the new lanes, stretching about two miles from Randall west to Lakewood, will provide long-awaited traffic relief to residents traveling on the west sides of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills and east side of Huntley.

The work is the first phase of a two-part, $28 million project to expand Algonquin Road from Randall Road west to Route 47. The project includes two lanes in each direction, a landscaped center median and a new bridge over Woods Creek.

Some phase one work, including a final layer of asphalt over the roadway, remains, Young said, but enough will be in place to open up the lanes for traffic over the winter.

The county plans to seek construction bids for the second phase -- from Lakewood Road to Route 47 -- over the winter and begin construction as soon as weather allows next year. Young said there is a strong possibility workers will finish phase two in 2008.

"There's always unknown factors, but with the way things have gone on the first phase, we anticipate that could be done within one construction season," he said.