Hey, it's just another thing to blame on snow
We have pothole winners! But first, a word about the lines that blur between cars.
If you've been on Randall Road near the Algonquin Commons lately, you likely noticed why Mary Wawak of Algonquin contacted me to ask for better lane striping.
It looks like someone got out the road eraser in some spots. And, in a way, they did.
Blame the snow.
"This last winter was brutal," said Jeff Young, assistant county engineer for the McHenry County Division of Transportation. "The more times you go out and plow, the more impact on the paint."
Combine that with paint that wasn't, shall we say, up to snuff, and you have blurred lines on one of the heaviest-traveled roads in the region.
"It was heralded to be this great stuff, but it didn't pan out as well as it was marketed," he said. The engineer said they're taking a look and may put down an entirely new material to stripe those lanes once the new J.C. Penney and some of the Galleria shopping center construction is completed.
The problem is also complicated, Mary, because Randall falls in both McHenry and Kane counties and both had tried the new striping material. McHenry will be trying something new -- and, hopefully, much better -- as crews work on Algonquin Road's expansion west of Randall Road.
The new material would be grooved into the pavement so it can't be scraped off. They may also use retroreflective tape on Randall, Long said.
Sure sign of spring
Some count on the groundhog to know when spring is coming. I just watch for Dave Fellberg's Trail Dawgs.
I just enjoyed my first -- and not last -- hot dog of the season at his stand along the Prairie Trail Bike Path and the Main Street bridge by Otto Engineering in Carpentersville.
Yummmmm ... he's there every day but Thursday and Friday and would love for you to stop by and try a burger, brat or dog.
Book it
Don't forget we have two book sales coming up this week. Both the Algonquin Area Public Library and Dundee Township Library will hold their annual spring sales this weekend. I'll give you details on Wednesday.
Worst … ever!
And noooooowwww, grab your steering wheels and hold on to your hubcaps ... we have two winners in our "Worst Pothole ... Ever!" contest: Ronda Feller of Sleepy Hollow and Randy Ballschmiede of West Dundee will each enjoy a free fish fry dinner for two, thanks to the West Dundee VFW Post 298.
Ronda's ditty is too long for this space, so I'll give you just a taste:
"Just name one pothole -- are you nuts?
"Cruising any road takes all my guts!
"So, I nominate Boncosky - yep, I mean the whole dang thing!
"Bumping along on either side causes my inner ears to ring."
Gone to pot
And though at first I was sure he exaggerated, our other winner, Randy, likely spoke for thousands when he said the worst pothole -- ever -- is Huntley Road all the way from Route 31 past Ranch Road.
"Not only is this stretch of road extremely hard on cars, it is just plain dangerous," Randy said. Here's hoping we can get someone official to take a look at that stretch of road that's getting worse every day, Randy.
Thank you all for playing. Even if you didn't win a free dinner, know that I'm forwarding your concerns to the right transportation folks. I know state officials have already promised to check the huge dip on Route 31 north of Huntley Road.
Here's hoping they'll dig out the asphalt in a hurry. I'll keep you posted.