The green goes underground in Mundelein
There were backups Monday approaching the Countryside Golf Course near Mundelein but it had nothing to do with slow play.
Motorists used to zipping past the Lake County Forest Preserve District course via Route 176 from the west found themselves in a jam because Hawley Street was closed.
Signs warning of the pending work on Hawley have been posted for about two weeks but many nongolfers apparently missed the message. The closure continues through this week for a unique project to improve safety.
Construction workers on Monday opened a huge hole across Hawley between the two entrances to Countryside where golfers heading to the back nine of the Traditional course crossed Hawley at street level.
Pieces of a pre-cast concrete tunnel 16 feet wide and 10 feet high, will be dropped in and assembled. When complete, the tunnel will be 100 feet long and take golfers out of play for the roughly 8,700 vehicles that use Hawley each day.
"They're basically opening up the road and dropping the tunnel in," said Tom Hahn, executive director for the forest preserve district.
Pulte Homes Inc., is paying for the $750,000 project in an arrangement with the forest preserve district.
The homebuilder approached the district a few years ago, seeking an easement to improve the intersection of Chevy Chase Road to the west of Countryside for its Grand Dominion active adult community.
"We talked about the safety issues of having a golf course on two sides of Hawley," said Hahn. "That was the basis of the agreement."
In exchange for less than half an acre of land, Pulte agreed to build the underpass.
"It was a very good deal," Hahn said.
An associated project involves a path to connect Grand Dominion to the underpass. Residents who own golf carts will be able to use their own on either Countryside course for a fee.
The work is expected to be complete the weekend but could be done sooner weather permitting. Countryside remains open for use. Detour is Route 60/83 to Route 176 to Gilmer Road.
"It doesn't look pretty right now but it will be a real improvement for Countryside," Hahn said. "It was something we always wanted."