Start in sight for Lake County road projects

At least some of the visitors to the Lake County Fair last July would have had an easier time getting in had a long-planned road project been complete.

But delays in the securing agreements with the Wisconsin Central Ltd., meant that a northern entry to the fairgrounds in Grayslake never began. County transportation officials say that won't be the case in 2011.

The county board on Tuesday will consider agreements with Wisconsin Central that would provide for the extension of Midlothian north and east to connect with Harris Road, which passes two Metra commuter stations before ending at Route 137.

"The lanes will need to be open to traffic by the time of the fair next year," said Al Giertych, assistant county engineer.

The three agreements provide easements for widening the road, allow the county to build a bike path with pedestrian gates across the railroad right of way on the extended Midlothian and allow the county to repair and widen the railroad crossing.

According to the Lake County Division of Transportation, the county board approved an agreement in late 2009 but because of staffing changes at Wisconsin Central, it was never executed.

The county took the issue to the Illinois Commerce Commission and new agreements were reached. The bike path will stretch from Peterson Road north to connect with an existing path.

"The project is from Peterson (Road) all the way to the Metra station," said Paula Trigg, director of planning and programming for the Lake County Division of Transportation.

A cost estimate on the project was unavailable Wednesday afternoon. The project is scheduled to be bid in late October, with construction starting in early spring 2011. All but the final pavement surface and landscaping are expected to be complete by fair time.

Another long-standing road project also is moving ahead. The relocation of a portion of Peterson Road to the south to form a new intersection at Route 60 is expected to be bid in January with construction of the $11 million project to begin in spring 2011.

"We've been waiting for right of way on that," Giertych said. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The county board also will be voting to spend about $1.7 million to improve the intersection of Hunt Club and Stearns School roads.

The intersection will be realigned with right turn lanes and new traffic signals.