It's Time: Roundabout Construction Begins—Cedar And Haven Intersection To Close

NEW LENOX, IL — It's coming—regardless of if you know how to drive it.

The roundabout planned for Cedar Road and Haven Avenue is nearing reality, with construction set to begin the week of April 21, and detours in place.

Thru traffic will not be possible when the project starts, the Village advises; the contractor will erect detour signage for vehicular traffic to use Illinois Highway, Nelson Road and Route 30 for northbound and southbound traffic. The eastbound and westbound detour will include Prairie Road, Route 30 and Vine Street. Local residents will still have access to their property.

The roundabout—a much-debated and long-considered solution to the quirky, zigzagging intersection—was estimated early on to cost approximately $2.7 million. Mayor Tim Baldermann this week said the project's cost rose to $4 million, with $3 million covered by federal grants.

Early discussions of a roundabout at the location date back to at least 2012. As officials explored the idea, the Village in 2023 estimated that approximately 12,300 vehicles per day travel through the intersection; by 2050, that number is projected to increase to 18,000. The intersection experiences heavy traffic, accidents and mobility issues for motorists and pedestrians, officials have said previously. The Village has spent several years acquiring necessary parcels of property surrounding the intersection to make the roundabout possible.

The project is anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2025.