Unsafe intersection to see summer upgrades

State officials this summer plan $133,000 worth of upgrades for Kane County's most dangerous intersection.

Beginning in June, crews will install new signals in all four directions of Randall Road and Route 72 that have left-turn-only arrows.

The idea is to prevent drivers from drifting into oncoming traffic while waiting to make a turn.

Three people died in crashes at the intersection in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and the area has been tops in Kane County for overall accidents since 2006.

Mike Claffey, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman, said the work should be completed by August and will not require long-term lane closures.

"We think this is a good safety improvement project we would like to get in place," he said, noting the streetlights in the area also will be upgraded.

Despite the work, IDOT has no plans at this time to further decrease the speed limit, which county leaders have dropped to 50 mph.

Also, there are no plans for at least the next five years to overhaul the intersection, unlike another dangerous crossroads in the area.

By fall 2009, an $8 million reconstruction and widening of the Route 20 and Shales Parkway intersection -- another area that has seen fatal crashes -- is expected to wrap up.