After two-month delay, Route 83, Winchester Road intersection near Grayslake reopened

A prolonged delay and detour in central Lake County has ended with the reopening of the intersection of Route 83 and Winchester Road near Grayslake.

Route 83 south from Peterson Road was closed in July and resulted in a lengthy detour that was to have ended in early October.

The reopening was announced Tuesday by the Lake County Division of Transportation.

“Once construction began, crews discovered a larger-than-expected area of poor soil (peat) south of the intersection,” according to LCDOT officials. “While this extended the project by about two months, LCDOT prioritized long-term safety and durability.”

It also added about $1.5 million more to the cost, they noted.

Winchester Road is a county road that ends at Route 83. Before the project it intersected with Route 83 at an oblique angle with only a stop sign and no dedicated turn lanes.

The intersection has been realigned to improve visibility and safety, according to transportation officials. Other upgrades include a traffic signal with left and right turn lanes, drainage improvements to reduce flooding on Route 83 and enhanced soil stability to support the rebuilt road.

Considered a dangerous intersection, the situation was first studied about eight years ago. The Lake County Board in August 2024 awarded a construction bid of about $3.27 million for the project.

Because peat swells and shrinks, it isn’t considered a stable road foundation. The work required additional columns of stone encased in plastic, called piers, to be driven about 20-feet deep, adding substantially to the overall cost.

Route 83 is a state road the original agreement calls for the cost of the project to be split with the Illinois Department of Transportation. The total project cost rose to about $4.8 million because of the extra work due to poor soils.