Lake County approves Peterson widening, other projects
There is still some snow plowing left this season, but contracts approved Tuesday by the Lake County Board will ensure there is plenty of road work under way when the weather improves,
The largest of the batch was a contract for more than $10.83 million with Berger Excavating of Wauconda for widening and other improvements on Peterson Road, a distance of about one mile from Franklin Boulevard to just west of Route 83.
Peterson is considered a potential corridor for economic development in central Lake County.
"This is an exciting project. We've been working on this for years," said county Board Member Diana O'Kelly, who chairs the board's public works and transportation committee.
The work to begin this spring includes widening Peterson to two through lanes in each direction, with a fifth turn lane where needed and a bike path on the north side. A key aspect is widening the intersection at Route 83 to include two left-turn lanes, two through lanes and a right-turn lane in each direction.
The board also appropriated $1.075 million for design engineering for the next segment of Peterson from west of Route 83 to west of Alleghany Road, and for resurfacing Alleghany north to Route 120. That project is expected to begin next year.
Other appropriations for road projects approved Tuesday include:
• $1.11 million to resurface Fairfield Road from Route 60 to 1,100 feet north of Gossell Road.
• $2.12 million to resurface O'Plaine Road from Washington Street to Route 137.
• $1.065 million to resurface Washington Street from the Union Pacific Railroad bridge to Route 131.
• $1.123 million to add left-turn lanes on Winchester Road eastbound at the west access to the Lake County campus, and westbound at the Butler Lake Park entrance. A barrier median will be added at the Metra rail crossing.
• $4.05 million for design engineering for the reconstruction and widening of Weiland Road from Lake-Cook Road to Route 22.
The Lake County Division of Transporation lists a total of 36 projects on its 2014 construction schedule.