KDOT Construction Program Runs Gamut

    While the bulk of the Kane County Division of Transportation's  2011 construction program is  routine, some of the work planned for this spring and summer includes projects that KDOT officials say are new, unusual and even  unique to the program.

   Unique this season is Stearns Road Corridor Landscaping project. Work includes planting of approximately 1,000 trees, seeding 126 acres, and the placement of numerous shrubs and other plantings. The magnitude and scope of the work makes it  a �one of kind� type project, according to KDOT officials.

    Not unique but certainly unusual will be the work along Orchard Road, from Jericho Road to US Route 30. "Reconstruction can be considered unusual since our program does not include lots of segmental reconstruction projects," according to Emmanuel Gomez, KDOT's Assistant Director of Transportation, Project Implementation. "This is the last segment of Orchard Road in Kane County that is not widened to two through-lanes in each direction. The sections to the north in Kane County and to south in Kendall County have been widened, making this area a bottle neck for traffic," he said.

   Something new to watch for this year is KDOT's Pavement Preservation Program. The program includes pavement treatments such as rejuvenators and micro-surfacing. These treatments should extend the time interval between full blown pavement resurfacings resulting in life cycle cost savings.

    Under the heading of "routine" projects, KDOT includes annual maintenance, such as resurfacing, crack sealing, and pavement marking. Also included in the routine category are various bridge maintenance projects. "Although these projects are not necessarily the most exciting or colorful they are important in ensuring that the highway transportation infrastructure is kept in good condition," said Gomez.

  Areas where KDOT expects traffic to be impacted the most over the next few months include:

    � Orchard Road from Jericho Road to US Route 30. This segment is a bottle neck and construction activities, like placement of new pavement, could result in lane closures which will adversely impact travel.

    � Randall Road at Bowes Road. Randall Road is one of busiest highways in the county system with significant traffic volumes. While the project is designed to minimize impacts to traffic, the widening and traffic volumes on Randall Road  could lead to delays, depending on the scheduled work.

    � Randall Road over I-88. This project includes a partial detour. Southbound traffic on Randall Road will be closed at the construction site and traffic will be detoured. Northbound traffic will continue on Randall Road, through the construction site. Although adequate signage is included in the project to direct southbound traffic, the atypical partial detour can be a concern and will result in increased travel times, according to Gomez.

 A pair of Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority projects that Gomez said Kane County drivers also should be aware of are:

    � IDOT�s road-widening work on IL Route 64 from 7th Avenue to Kautz Road.  "When you consider the amount of traffic this roadway carries, it becomes apparent that construction will adversely impact traffic. Expect increased travel times and delays," he said.

    � ISTHA's resurfacing work on I-90, or Jane Addams Tollway. "Although the segments in Kane County along I-90 are not very long, the work in adjacent sections can have regional impacts to traffic," according to Gomez.

2011 KDOT Construction Program

2011 Construction.pdf