You asked about nonstop Route 53 work, missing trees and speeders. Here are the answers
Thanksgiving is over, but we’re still thankful for readers like you.
In that spirit, here are answers to three transportation questions from suburbanites. Keep them coming.
Numerous Northwest suburban residents are steamed at seemingly interminable construction on Route 53, with one writing “it feels like it's been going on forever with no end in sight!”
The $189 million project has several stages, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson Maria Castaneda said.
Work includes reconstructing and resurfacing Illinois 53 from I-90 to Lake-Cook Road, modernizing traffic signals, plus lighting and drainage improvements. IDOT crews will also rehab these Route 53 bridges: Kirchoff Road, Industrial Avenue, Northwest Highway/Union Pacific Railroad, Palatine Road, Anderson Drive, Rand Road, Salt Creek and Algonquin Road.
The good news: “The reconstruction and resurfacing of Illinois 53, is anticipated to be completed, weather permitting, by the end of November,” Castaneda said.
“All lanes will reopen until next spring when work resumes with the rehabilitation of the bridges and bridge decks with the project wrapping up in 2027.”
About 100,000 vehicles use this section of Route 53 daily and the last pavement fix was 15 years ago, she noted.
Meanwhile, reader Bob Parr was curious about reconstruction on Arlington Heights Road from Lake-Cook Road to Route 83.
“When this project began last year they removed hundreds of trees that were in the center medium and the adjacent parkways. I had read … that they promised to plant an equal number of trees in the Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve on the west side,” Parr wrote. So — what happened? he wondered.
Between 60 and 70 trees were planted this fall in the Buffalo Creek Preserve at the southeast corner of Arlington Heights and Checker roads, Lake County Deputy Communications Officer Alex Carr said.
The median had to be removed in order to reconstruct the pavement and storm sewer system, while simultaneously keeping lanes open to traffic during two years of construction. Trees had to be removed and replanting them there was problematic, Carr explained.
A grass/native mix will be “planted in the median upon project completion that will look nice aesthetically while keeping maintenance costs low,” she added.
Finally, reader James Kidney and his wife moved to Rolling Meadows from Virginia a year ago and were surprised to find “reckless driving habits and absence of visible traffic enforcement on major area highways.”
“Cars routinely approach 90 mph on highways clearly marked 55 or 7O mph speed limits. Sixty mph speeds are reached on highways marked 40 or 45 mph. Why is there nearly no visible traffic enforcement in the suburbs of Cook County?” Kidney asked.
Officers are out there, Rolling Meadows Police Chief Tony Peluso responded. The PD “focuses on traffic enforcement for a wide variety of violations throughout our city. This would include our residential streets as well as more heavily traveled roadways.
“Our department dedicates a great deal of time in traffic enforcement activity, resulting in hundreds of citations and warnings each year. We take traffic enforcement seriously and balance that activity with providing professional police response on all calls for service,” Peluso said.
You should know
Metra is partnering with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation to give needy kids a Christmas treat.
Riders are welcomed to bring unwrapped toys or cash donations to downtown stations during the morning rush Tuesday, Dec. 9. Stations include: Chicago Union, Ogilvie Transportation Center, Millennium Station, Van Buren Street Station and LaSalle Street Station. Metra Electric passengers can drop off gifts at Millennium Station’s Randolph Street entrance.
One more thing
It’s Holiday Bus and Holiday Train season on the Chicago Transit Authority.
Trains and buses decorated with elves, Santa and festive surprises will run in the city on multiple routes and lines. For information about schedules, go to transitchicago.com/holidayfleet.