Two more construction projects planned for Gurnee

Two words will help get you though the rest of the summer's highway construction in the Gurnee area: extra time.

Concerns about road construction and insight from state transportation experts were part of a special town hall meeting Tuesday night in Gurnee. State Rep. Kathy Ryg of Vernon Hills and state Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan, both Democrats, hosted the session.

Tri-State Tollway construction has been the source of many drivers' woes in Lake County. Rocco Zucchero, deputy chief of planning for the Illinois Toll Highway Authority, informed about 40 spectators Tuesday that two more twists are about to come in Gurnee.

Zucchero said the ramp taking southbound tollway traffic onto the eastbound Grand Avenue exit in Gurnee will close for one year starting Saturday. The eastbound exit is the one used by southbound I-94 drivers heading to Six Flags Great America or KeyLime Cove Water Resort.

Closure of the eastbound Grand ramp is needed to allow reconstruction and lengthening of the busy thoroughfare's bridge over the tollway, which Zucchero said will begin soon. Tollway drivers will be directed to continue heading south to the Milwaukee Avenue exit, where they can backtrack and head north to Gurnee.

"The reason we're closing the ramp is it really allows us to expedite the construction," Zucchero said.

Meanwhile, Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik, who couldn't attend the town hall meeting, said commuters have no other choice but to seek alternate routes and - most of all - allow extra time in their travels to the village.

"No pain, no gain," Kovarik said. "I have talked about it all year."

Kovarik said long-awaited improvements, such as the reconfiguration of the Route 41-Grand Avenue intersection, can't be delayed to alleviate traffic snarls. It's expected the work at Route 41 and Grand will start within 60 days.

At Tuesday's meeting, Zucchero said reconstruction of the Route 120 bridge over the tollway in Gurnee should be finished in early or mid-August.

One question about construction-zone speed limits arose at the session. State law requires drivers to abide by the 45 mph limit in construction zones at all times on the tollway - not just when workers are present.

Betsy Hastings of Beach Park told officials she fears she'll be rammed off the road one time while traveling at the 45 mph limit.

"When I see a construction-zone sign at 45, I try to be obedient," Hastings said.

There will be a 30 mph construction area limit on the Grand Avenue bridge at all times.