Arlington Heights Road project wrapping up after frustrating delays

Frustrated travelers in southern Lake County soon can enjoy the ride without hassle as a delay-plagued project to rebuild nearly 2 miles of Arlington Heights Road wraps up.

The final asphalt surface was being installed Monday. When complete, two lanes in each direction will reopen although there still may be some daytime lane closures for remaining work, said Alex Carr, spokesperson for the Lake County Division of Transportation.

After paving, a rejuvenator that takes 10 to 14 days to cure will be applied, so activity may appear limited during this time, Carr added.

Final pavement markings will follow.

By the end of July, the most publicly visible items — road surface, striping, landscaping, traffic signals and lighting — will be complete, he added.

Advance work for the $23 million project from Lake-Cook Road to just north of Route 83 in Buffalo Grove, Long Grove and unincorporated Lake County began in late 2023 with the removal of 74 trees.

A key element involved replacing 44-year-old concrete that had reached the end of its useful life with a new road base topped with asphalt for a smoother, quieter ride, according to LCDOT.

Modernizing the storm sewer system to account for increased rainfall and improve drainage also was a major component of the project.

That and associated work initially was scheduled for two construction seasons but is expected to take two and a half years to complete, Carr said.

“Several unforeseen conditions and necessary scope adjustments contributed to this extended timeline,” he added.

Utility conflicts, need for bridge rehabilitation, more unsuitable soil than expected and a delay in the paving contractor opening its asphalt plant added months to the project.

According to Carr, several underground utilities were found in different places than available records and resolving the conflicts required redesign and coordination with utility owners adding several months of work.

An inspection showed the need for bridge work south of Checker Road. That was incorporated into the project to avoid future disruptions, he noted, and while the most efficient approach, it extended the project by a month.

Also, a greater amount of unsuitable soil than identified in initial testing needed to be removed and replaced, adding another month, Carr said.

And, paving was deferred as the contractor had issues that delayed the opening of the asphalt plant.

“This multilayered road project, which also involved installation of larger sewer pipes to help prevent additional flooding in the future had to contend with a host of unexpected issues,” said Marah Altenberg, the Lake County Board member who represents the area.

“But I share the frustration of our local commuters that the road work took this long to complete,” she added.

In response to resident feedback, Altenberg said she wants to change how LCDOT communicates with residents in the future to provide the latest information on project delays and improvements.

Altenberg said the goal is to build the safest and highest quality improvements for the long term and that LCDOT’s expertise keeps the county’s infrastructure in peak condition.

Larger storm sewer pipes were to be installed beneath a new median so trees were removed because their roots eventually would grow into the system. The same number that were removed were planted mainly in the Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve.