Bensenville intersection project needs money

DuPage County transportation leaders say the funding is in place to begin acquiring property as part of a plan to rebuild the intersection of York and Irving Park roads in Bensenville.

But the $56 million plan officials are pursuing still needs money for the building portion of the project, said John Kos, director of the county's transportation division.

"We're currently unfunded for the construction of the intersection," Kos said during a public hearing Thursday concerning the long-planned road project.

County and state transportation officials are pursuing a reconstruction of the intersection that would require acquiring 7.5 acres of land, mostly east of York Road, for a relocation of a Canadian Pacific rail line about 75 feet east of its current location. The line would be separated from the road by a bridge spanning over Irving Park Road.

Irving Park Road would have to be lowered only a few feet -- far lower than originally proposed -- limiting the impact on businesses along the intersection.

County engineers blame the high congestion at the intersection on the rail crossing, which they say has its gates lowered about four hours per day. According to their figures, 6,400 cars are delayed 1,500 hours each day between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Officials also consider the intersection accident-prone, with 96 crashes occurring during a three-year period from 2004 to 2006.

Mike Matkovic, the project manager on the intersection reconstruction plan, said the property acquisition is expected to begin this summer and take about two years to complete.

After that point, though, the future of the intersection is in the hands of the Illinois Department of Transportation, which must acquire funding to start the actual rebuilding.

"Between now and then we hope to find a funding source," Matkovic said.