Engineers unveil latest Route 59 plans

Engineers are hoping their latest design of a Route 59 expansion through Naperville will be a gem.

The city and Illinois Department of Transportation are unveiling a new "diverging diamond" design for the I-88 interchange at Route 59.

Motorists can learn more about the Route 59 expansion project and give their feedback at an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Naperville's municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.

"It's a good opportunity to get an update on the status of the project and also a great opportunity to become acquainted with this concept of a diverging diamond interchange," said Jennifer Louden, a Naperville project engineer. "It's a pretty innovative configuration that's being looked at."

The city and state are in the design phase for improvements to a 31/2-mile stretch of Route 59 between Aurora Avenue and Ferry Road.

They recently revised the plans to include the diverging diamond interchange that Louden said "could have even greater benefits toward improving congestion and safety."

In the diverging diamond concept, she said, motorists will actually be traveling on the left side of the road to get to their ramp more easily. Louden said the design will mean less waiting because drivers won't have to cross oncoming traffic.

The revised design for the improvement project also calls for four lanes along both northbound and southbound Route 59 between Diehl Road and I-88.

For the rest of the stretch being studied, engineers have proposed making Route 59 three lanes going each direction and adding turn lanes and through lanes at many of the intersections. To improve safety, more sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian signals will be added.

More than 50,000 vehicles a day travel the stretch of Route 59 being studied resulting in more than 400 crashes a year. Causing some of the traffic congestion are the Metra station just west of the study area and the Westfield Fox Valley Shopping Center just south.

The state has earmarked roughly $125 million for the project.

The design must receive approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, which could happen this summer. The next phase would then be contract plan preparation and land acquisition, which is expected to take 18 to 24 months and would be followed by construction.

Anyone unable to make the open house can view the project documents online at http://www.naperville.il.us/route59expansion.aspx and e-mail comments to Louden at loudenj@naperville.il.us.