Barrington approves Route 14 underpass project
The Route 14 underpass project designed to ease traffic along the CN Railway was approved by the Barrington village trustees Monday night.
Greg Summers, the leader of the project and Barrington's director of development services, said the design takes community opinions, which have been gathered over the course of four public meetings since May 2012, into account.
“Each public meeting helped to narrow the selection and identify issues that may not have already been addressed,” Summers said.
For example, at the April 2013 meeting, the public expressed overwhelming support for adjusting Lake Zurich Road to the south so it intersects with Route 14 at a four-way intersection at Berry Street, Summers said. Now, the Lake Zurich adjustment is such a priority that it is planned to be constructed before the underpass itself, he said.
Public opinion also favored the underpass option rather than an overpass, and expanding the road to the north instead of south.
Summers said the project is running approximately $800,000 under budget.
Trustee Robert Windon said he was impressed with how much work has gone into the proposal.
“To be under budget at this point is exceptional,” Weldon said.
Summers said the planners recently secured $10 million more in grants for the project and could gain an additional $3 million in the next month.
The plan, which first received funding in October 2010, will be sent to the state for environmental and design approval.
Summers said the plan has already been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal Highway Commission, and the local Soil and Water Conservation District
Summers said the village should receive the state's input by April 30.
The next phase of the project will include securing remaining funds, buying land and drafting the final blueprint.
Construction, which could begin in the summer of 2017, would likely take three years.