Avoiding road work in Lake County could be tough this season

Dodging roadwork in Lake County this season could require special skill, as federal stimulus money and more local sales tax dollars combine to fund a healthy crop of construction and resurfacing projects.

The annual bob, weave and wait begins next month with the opening of asphalt plants, as the Lake County Division of Transporation and Illinois Department of Transportation plan about 75 projects for 2010.

Though not all projects may be funded or start in earnest this year, the potential exists for disruptions throughout the county.

With more sales tax money approved for it in 2008, Lake County has upped its construction spending to about $50 million. IDOT is awaiting word on two sources of federal funds and has included several projects that are ready to go.

"There are a lot of major roads that will be impacting a lot of traffic," said Bill Baltutis, executive director of the TMA of Lake-Cook, the Deerfield-based business group that focuses on transportation matters.

More than 100 projects of various sizes and shapes in Lake and northern Cook counties were outlined Friday during the TMA of Lake-Cook's annual spring preview.

Motorists can check www.dot.state.il.us or lakecountyil.gov/transportation for project status.

With the state playing catch-up on roadwork, particularly after consecutive harsh winters, a potential swell of federal stimulus dollars could really get road crews moving.

"We could have a perfect storm across the whole area," Baltutis said.

And, county drivers will see an entirely new type of project with construction of a roundabout in Lincolnshire and two more in Old Mill Creek.

"We don't want them confused with some of the older circular intersections," said Glenn Petko, engineer of construction for the Lake County Division of Transportation. "We feel there are some exciting new ways to move traffic."

With the multiyear Tri-State Tollway widening complete, the focus on the expressway side this year shifts to the $20 million resurfacing and repair of seven bridges on the Edens Spur, from I-294 to Skokie Boulevard.

Originally planned as two separate projects, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority combined them to minimize impact. Work is expected to begin in early summer and continue to the end of the year.

Elsewhere, widening work is set for Route 83 through Lindenhurst and Antioch, North Avenue in Antioch, Route 45 in the Grayslake area, and Washington Street in Gurnee.

The Washington Street project presents drivers with another long stretch of pain that just ended with the widening from Route 21 to Route 41. Widening Washington between Hunt Club Road and Route 21 will complete a stretch from Waukegan to Grayslake. Work is expected to be complete in mid-2011.

"This is completing 10-plus years of projects to add capacity in that corridor," said Al Giertych, assistant county engineer.

Major intersection improvements continue or are planned for Milwaukee Avenue and Route 22 in Lincolnshire, Peterson Road and Route 60 near Mundelein, Fairfield Road at Nippersink Road in Round Lake Beach, and Gossell Road in Wauconda and Route 120 at Bacon Road and Cedar Lake Road in Round Lake Beach. Route 83/132 in Lake Villa also could get a remake.

Perhaps the most vexing for drivers could be resurfacing projects that are done relatively quickly, but are more pervasive.

For example, depending on funding from the federal "Jobs for Main Street Act," more than 10 miles of Route 83 from Grand Avenue in Lake Villa to Route 176 in Mundelein could be on tap.

Route 176, possibly from as far west as Route 60/83 to Milwaukee Avenue, also is on the state list.

If money is available, IDOT wants to resurface three sections of Route 59 north of Route 134 in Fox Lake. An adjoining section of Route 12 more than four miles long where it splits from Route 134 in Fox Lake starts in April.

Lake County will resurface Old McHenry Road from Route 12 to Quentin Road and Fairfield Road from Route 176 to Old McHenry - two parallel projects in Hawthorn Woods - beginning in May and August respectively.

Whether the state project list is completed as proposed is hard to know.

"Things can change - weather, funding, construction issues will all come into play," Baltutis said.