Meeting to give info on Oak Street

When construction season starts next month, drivers on a very busy North Aurora street will only be looking west as the street becomes one-way for the summer.

April 14 is the scheduled start date for a major reconstruction of Oak Street between Randall Road and Route 31. The project will rebuild the road and provide several dedicated left-turn lanes, but officials admit it will take a long time to finish.

Jim Sparber, senior project manager for engineering consultant Rempe-Sharp, said during construction Oak will become a one-way street heading west from Route 31 to Randall.

The project is scheduled to wrap up and resume two-way traffic Oct. 3.

With any improvement of this size, there are bound to be inconveniences, but Sparber said he did not anticipate major traffic headaches -- especially if people know what is coming.

In order to prepare residents for what could be a much longer trip across town, the village will host an open house April 2 at village hall. Officials will provide engineering analysis and take questions on what impact the project will have.

"We really would like to get as much information out there as we can. I hope people take the opportunity to find everything out," Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin said. "It's going to be torn up for a while."

As part of the $3 million rebuild, the hill just east of Sycamore Lane will be reduced to increase sight distance and make the road safer, Sparber said.

The end result of a smooth road, increased safety and reduced traffic stacking at key intersections, will be something the village needs, McLaughlin said.

"In the end, it's going to be really nice," she said.

However, the project will not include improvements to the Oak Street and Route 31 intersection. That is an Illinois Department of Transportation project and it has been delayed, officials said.