Des Plaines River Road reconstruction could begin Monday
The reconstruction and widening of Des Plaines River Road between Touhy and Devon avenues, near the site of the city's planned casino, could begin Monday, officials said this week.
The Des Plaines city council Monday night awarded an $11.6 million bid to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, LLC for its portion of the project.
The Illinois Department of Transportation handed over jurisdiction of that portion of River Road to the city, which will supervise the construction.
The work is part of a $43 million project that will raise River Road roughly two feet to act as a buffer against the Des Plaines River, and widen it to five lanes between Touhy and Devon. The portion between Rand Road and Touhy will be completed by the state.
Under Des Plaines' agreement with the state, IDOT will provide a majority of funding for the project - $10.8 million - with the city chipping in $180,000 out of its Capital Projects Fund.
The village of Rosemont will pay about $112,000 and Chicago-based casino developer Midwest Gaming & Entertainment will contribute $320,000 to upgrade traffic signals at that intersection.
Midwest Gaming also has agreed to pay $140,000 to speed up the project so it may be completed by June 15, 2011, ahead of the casino's planned opening later that summer, said casino project manager Michael Levin. Reconstruction of the 4-mile stretch of River originally wasn't expected to begin until early 2011.
The $445 million casino is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs, about 1,000 casino jobs, and more than $150 million in annual gambling tax revenue.
"We gotta get the road open not only for the casino but for the community," Levin said.
The 147,000-square-foot casino and entertainment complex is planned for about 20 acres fronting the Tri-State Tollway at the northwest corner of River Road and Devon Avenue.
Levin said demolition of buildings on-site is nearly complete and minor site work has begun.
The first phase of construction involves a 45,000-square-foot, single-level structure housing 1,200 gambling positions, and an attached five-story parking garage for 1,560 cars.
About 30,000 square feet of restaurants and bars and an additional 773 surface parking spaces also are planned in the first phase.
Future phases include expansion of the casino building to add retail and restaurant uses, and construction of two new hotels, 11 and 15 stories high, with a second parking garage.