44 Years Later, Cedar Lake Road Project Makes 'Historic' Jump

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Federal funds could finally help move a long-awaited Round Lake road project closer to completion.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced $18.8 million in RAISE Grant funds have been earmarked toward the Cedar Lake Road realignment and mobility improvements project, according to a news release from Lake County.

The investment is one of the largest in federal funds the county has ever received for a local infrastructure project, officials said last week.

A project study on the roadway began in 1979, more than 44 years ago. At that time, officials began to investigate safety and capacity challenges due to the "broken alignment of the roadway," including a grade separation of Cedar Lake Road at the railway tracks (which are now a part of the Metra Milwaukee North line).

In those early years, opposition to the project and lack of funds prevented any work from moving forward.

In 2012, this p0rtion of Cedar Lake Road was jurisdictionally transferred from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT).

Since then, local officials have been working with "local and regional key stakeholders to design a truly multi-modal project that integrates transit, walking and biking improvements for overall mobility," according to the news release.

Proposed improvements include correcting the existing broken alignment of Cedar Lake Road, reconfiguring the railroad station and platform, adding nearly two miles of path to close a gap for the planned Millennium Trail and upsizing the storm sewer system to alleviate local drainage issues.

Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris administration announced the $1.8 billion 2024 RAISE Grant Program. The program helps communities around the country carry out projects with significant local or regional impact. RAISE projects are rigorously reviewed and evaluated on statutory criteria of safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism, state of good repair, partnership and collaboration, and innovation, according to the news release.

Local politicians have rallied their support for the Cedar Lake Road project.

The RAISE Grant program is highly competitive with more than 1,000 applications submitted from around the country each year — LCDOT submitted two previous applications before being awarded funding.

With the most recent RAISE grant, LCDOT has now secured more than $31 million in federal funding, which is the maximum allowable federal share of the estimated $42 million construction costs. Lake County, the village of Round Lake and Metra will also all be contributing funding to the project, according to the news release.

"We are incredibly grateful to receive a historic amount of funding for this regionally significant project that will improve safety and provide the opportunity to enhance economic development in the downtown Round Lake area," said Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart. "We want to provide a sincere thank you to the entire Lake County Congressional Delegation for their tireless advocacy and support at the federal level for all of our residents and communities.”

Officials tout the many benefits of completing this project, including the reduction of 312,000 metric tons of CO2 emitted over a 22-year period and the elimination of 17 vehicle, pedestrian and train "conflict points," which will result in an 86 percent reduction in travel delays and a 36 percent decrease in the frequency of crashes.

Northbound travel time along Cedar Lake Road will be reduced by 40 to 68 percent during morning and evening peak hours.

“This is one of the largest grants we’ve received for a transportation project and is a tremendous boost to the Round Lake downtown and beyond,” said John Wasik, chair of the Lake County Board Legislative Committee and board member for District 6. “Not only will this resolve some serious, long-standing safety issues, but it will pump more than $40 million into Round Lake for economic development and fund the Forest Preserve’s Millennium Trail expansion."

More information on the Cedar Lake Road project can be found on the road project website.