Lake Co. ready to take on first of road 'challenges'
Competition for big money road projects in Lake County is about to begin, with public input among the first steps.
Lake County is proposing to widen Washington Street in the Hainesville/Grayslake area and an open house scheduled for Wednesday is part of the initial study of the project.
That proposal is the first of five county "challenge projects" to get to this point, although similar sessions regarding the Milburn bypass on Route 45 and untangling the unwieldy Rollins Road and Route 83 intersection are pending.
Lake County Division of Transportation staff will outline the scope of plans for a 1.5-mile section of Washington between Hainesville Road and Lake Street. The session is from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hainesville village hall, 100 N. Hainesville Road.
"Our initial plan is to widen that section of Washington Street to five lanes. We're also looking to grade separate at the railroad - either an underpass or overpass," said Chuck Gleason, project manager for the county.
Initial estimates peg the project at $11.5 million but that is likely to change depending on the final design, which is based in part on public input.
The county is planning in advance of a bond issue in 2011 to be backed by a quarter percent local sales tax increase authorized last year. Projects will be funded based on their readiness.
Overall, Lake County proposed 48 projects eligible for a piece of $100 million bond money. Five of them are specific county projects, which will compete separately for $50 million.
Road projects take four or five years from inception to construction, Gleason said. The initial study, known as Phase 1, generally takes two years. Phase 2, which is design and right of way acquisition, takes another two years or more.
"The first project that's ready to go will get the money. The challenge is to get to get consultants moving on the projects."
A public information session has been scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. March 3 regarding the $20 million Milburn bypass of Route 45 near Lindenhurst.
Several years ago, a bypass west of intersection was determined to be the best bet but plans stalled for lack of cash.
"Now that we're starting this up again, we wanted to start with a clean slate," Gleason said.
An open house on the Rollins and Route 83 project likely will follow relatively soon. Forums on the other two projects - widening Quentin Road from near Cuba Road to Route 22 and, widening Milwaukee Avenue from Route 137 to Route 120 - have not been scheduled.