Rail work snarls traffic on Route 59, Northwest Highway

Motorists driving through Barrington on Northwest Highway should expect major delays as traffic remains blocked off while crews work on the EJ&E railroad crossing.

The crossing -- east of Route 59 and north of Lake-Cook Road -- is slated to stay closed until Friday afternoon, and traffic is being routed around that busy area.

Barrington Public Works Assistant Director Mark Werksman said the crossing on the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad Co. tracks was worn out and crews are replacing it.

It's standard work that every track needs from time to time.

"We'll get through it," he said.

EJ&E spokesman John Armstrong called the work routine maintenance.

"It is a normal process we go through to maintain our tracks," Armstrong said.

Installing the new crossing meant the entire intersection had to be shut down, he said, adding trains are still able to use the track overnight during the construction.Werksman advised drivers to use patience and find alternate routes. He also warned against speeding, especially if motorists elect to take detours through residential areas, a practice the village hopes they avoid."They tend to speed," Werksman said. "We've got residential (areas) with kids, and we don't want anything to happen."Village President Karen Darch said she has been hearing from residents about the long traffic delays, especially on Lake-Cook Road."I had a guy come to see me yesterday and he said it took him 45 minutes to get from (Ela and Lake-Cook roads) to village hall.The closure began Monday. Traffic is being diverted from the north to Route 59 -- known as Hough Street through Barrington -- south to Lake-Cook Road. It's the same detour that was used 10 or 12 years ago when the crossing was last closed for an extended duration, Werksman.According to the IDOT, about 26,000 vehicles cross those railroad tracks each day.This is the second time in less than a year a major artery through Barrington has been closed to railroad work.Last September, Route 59 was closed between Route 14 and Lake-Cook Road while Union Pacific Railroad completed a total reconstruction of the crossing on Route 59.