New traffic lights OK'd for in Huntley

Spurred by high speeds and high traffic on two major east-west thoroughfares, the Huntley village board approved plans Thursday to install two new traffic signals on Haligus Road at Reed and Dundee roads.

The village also plans to increase the speed limit on Dundee Road from 35 to 45 mph.

The change will bring the speed limit on Dundee closer to actual speeds on the road and match the speed limit on Reed Road, Village Manager Carl Tomaso said.

The new signal at Haligus and Reed could be installed as soon as this summer, while the light at Haligus and Dundee could be in place by the end of the year, Tomaso said.

The estimated cost of the engineering and construction for both traffic signals is $558,965.

Centegra Health System, which has a health club and medical offices at Haligus and Algonquin roads, will pay for $167,910 of the Reed Road signal, Tomaso said.

Centerville Properties, which manages a shopping plaza at Haligus and Dundee, will pay for $62,612 of the Dundee signal, Tomaso said.

The contributions mean the village will have to pay $328,443 -- at most.

The village could recover as much as half the cost of the Dundee signal from properties on the north side of the intersection, Tomaso said.

Civiltech Engineering will complete the engineering for the traffic signals. Village staff will bid out the construction and return to the board for bid approval.

Haligus will get a third traffic light at Algonquin Road when McHenry County finishes widening Algonquin this summer.

The village extended Haligus north from Algonquin to Reed last year.