DuPage County has more to spend on roads this year
DuPage County plans to spend $36.1 million this year on a road program that includes pavement resurfacing, intersection upgrades and expansion of a system that allows transportation officials to remotely monitor traffic.
Officials say DuPage's division of transportation has nearly $14 million more to spend on projects compared to last year because of an increase in federal money.
"We were aggressive in getting federal funding," said Don Puchalski, chairman of the county board's transportation committee. "We're also partnering more with other municipalities and villages."
Topping the list of projects in the 2019 highway and trail construction program is an estimated $8.52 million plan to improve a stretch of 55th Street.
As part of the 55th Street project, the roadway will be resurfaced from Dunham Road and Williams Street in Downers Grove. Also, the intersections of 55th and Main Street and 55th and Fairview Avenue will be widened to provide left-turn lanes.
In addition, traffic signals along 55th will be synchronized between Dunham and Clarendon Hills Road in Clarendon Hills.
Construction is expected to be completed in November.
A major project starting this year is a roughly $3.35 million expansion of the Central Signal System, which allows the county's transportation department to remotely monitor traffic and make adjustments to conditions.
Puchalski said the expansion will add 110 traffic signals in the southwestern part of the county to the system. When the work is completed by June 2020, the system will have 180 signals.
County officials said the project will connect the existing system to 75th Street from Route 59 to Plainfield Road; Naperville Road from Roosevelt Road to 75th Street; Warrenville Road/Ferry Road from Raymond Drive to Yackley Avenue; Winfield Road from Warrenville Road to Diehl Road; and Diehl Road from Raymond Drive to Mill Street.
One project expected to be completed in June is the patching and resurfacing of Greenbrook Boulevard from County Farm Road to Lake Street in Hanover Park. The work is estimated to cost $885,000.
An estimated $900,000 project to replace a culvert along Grand Avenue west of County Line Road in Bensenville is expected to be completed in November.
Meanwhile, an estimated $677,000 will be spent on intersection improvements at 75th Street and Naper Boulevard.
In addition, DuPage has set aside $6 million to patch and resurface roadways to improve the driving surface and extend the life of the pavement. Roadways that will be resurfaced are:
• Stearns Road from Bartlett Road to Route 59.
• Bartlett Road from Devon Avenue to Stearns Road.
• Devon Avenue from Bartlett Road to Newport Boulevard.
• Plainfield Road from 75th Street to County Line Road.
• Cass Avenue from Plainfield Road to 91st Street.
• Fairview Avenue/Meyers Road from 31st Street to Ogden Avenue.
Puchalski said the county's transportation plan is focused on reducing congestion and making roadways safer.
"We'd like to do more projects if we can," said Puchalski, adding that he hopes the state approves a capital spending bill to fix roads, bridges and public transit.