Shorewood Road work begins
A country road that used to give farmers near Grayslake access to their fields will receive a makeover.
Work is expected to begin Monday on a $4 million project to widen, add turn lanes and install storm sewers on Shorewood Road/Drury Lane from Route 83 to Rollins Road.
The first action likely will be the removal of about 230 trees along the 1.4-mile route, which borders the Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve for about half that length.
Much of the vegetation is overgrowth, although some old trees as much as two feet in diameter will have to go, according to Bob Gibbons, resident technician for Baxter & Woodman, the consulting engineer for the village.
The trees are in the road right-of-way and no property was acquired for the project. A nearly equal number of new trees will be planted as replacements, according to the plan.
Village officials have said safety improvements on the rural road were necessary because of development in the area. Several residential subdivisions, including the private Carillon North adult community are along the route, although it has remained two lanes with no curbs or gutters.
The new Grayslake North High School also is on Route 83 just north of Shorewood, but that was built after the plans to improve the road were made.
"Design started almost 10 years ago," said Derek Soderholm, assistant to the village manager."It is a rural cross section. We're bringing it up to your typical federal and state highway standards."
Seventy percent of the cost will come from federal Surface Transportation Program funds, with the village picking up the remainder.
Some residents have complained the money would be better spent on bigger impact projects to relieve congestion, rather than on a quiet road that is one of the few reminders of the area's rural roots.
Soderholm said the federal funding is for specific work that applies to only a few roads in the village, including Shorewood/Drury Lane, and can't be used for other purposes.
The roads will be widened from 10 to 13 feet, except where left-turn lanes will be added. Turning radiuses at intersections will be improved and a sharp curve at Drury Lane will be reduced. Literature provided on a village fact sheet states the character of the road will remain rural.
Storm sewer work will follow the tree removal, although the schedule is to begin road work from Route 83 to Normandy Woods Court and from Rollins Road south 1,000 feet. Detours will be posted.
"Dollarwise, it's a fairly good-sized project but what we're doing isn't all that complicated," Gibbons said, "so I don't see any problems out here."