Algonquin bypass plans move on, albeit slowly

State and federal authorities this week gave the green light to the second phase of engineering for the Algonquin Western Bypass, moving the long-awaited project a little closer to reality.

But drivers who regularly find themselves stuck in traffic trying to get through the village's downtown shouldn't celebrate just yet.

Though state approval for the engineering is necessary, it's ultimately state funding that will make the $70 million project a go. Right now, there are no state plans to fund the bypass.

State Rep. Michael Tryon, a Crystal Lake Republican, said Friday he hopes that will change with the state's next capital projects plan. However, he said, but it could be 18 months or longer before one gets passed.

"It's basically a guess at this time," he said.

The second phase, at a cost of $2.9 million, includes designing the exact path of the bypass and the creation of bid documents for would-be builders. The work is expected to take about 18 months after which, depending on funding, the county could begin seeking bids and start construction.

The plan calls for the construction of a bypass around the western edge of Algonquin's downtown, allowing traffic on Route 31 to avoid its often gridlocked intersection with Algonquin Road.

Efforts to secure funding for the project have been ongoing for more than a decade. In 1998, U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, a Republican from Egan, obtained $9 million in federal assistance.

A year later, state authorities pledged $35 million, enough to cover what then was the plan's projected cost.

In recent years, however, the state has taken back its funding, even as federal officials dedicated another $10 million for it.

Manzullo, in a statement released Friday, said he will work with Tryon and State Sen. Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican, to pressure the state to restore funding for the project.