Route 30 Construction Updates

VAs the Route 30 Construction Project  continues to impact the lives of motorists , Village engineer Will Nash provides the latest news on traffic conditions through town.

As of Nov. 15, he said:

• Spencer Road is currently closed and should be open by the end of next week.

• New Concrete has been placed from the west end of the project to the east of Bluestone Bay Drive. The contractor will be leaving gaps at the private driveways and side streets as required to allow access. This completes the mainline concrete pours through New Lenox.

For the next couple weeks, gaps will be filled in by the contractor, said Nash.

• The contractor has installed the concrete for the east half of Retail Drive and has shifted traffic to this new pavement. They have placed the mainline and left turn lane for eastbound traffic as well as gaps in the concrete pavement to the east. By Saturday morning, traffic is expected to move on this pavement.
• This will allow a left and a right turn lane for northbound cars exiting the Target/Lowes development as well as allowing eastbound cars making a right turn into the site a radius to make this turn instead of the current drastic 90 degree turn.

As a result, more cars will be able to stack at the light and move through the intersection. They plan to be completed with the concrete pavement at Retail Drive Friday.  Early the week of Thanksgiving they will strip the intersection to allow the full intersection to be used. This should all be complete by the Thanksgiving shopping rush. 

• Joliet Highway is currently closed while the contractor builds the intersection up to the subgrade for the new road. The contractor has completed all the underground utility work and will be starting the process of placing stone and asphalt next week.

According to Nash, the pavement should be placed by the end of next week and will be open early the week of Nov. 26 at the latest.

"We have placed signs along Route 30 directing traffic looking to access Bluestone Commons to the entrance just west of Joliet Highway," he said.

Due to the closure of Joliet Highway, "I have told the contractor he cannot move forward with the staged construction of Schoolhouse Road until Joliet Highway is complete."

Concrete pavement has been placed just east and west of the existing pavement, and the contractor will begin constructing the transition pavement next week. The staged construction of the intersection will take place in the spring.

• The contractor is finishing storm sewer work on some side streets, the plan calls for beginning the process of relocating fire hydrants as required over the next few weeks. 
• Next, the construction crew is scheduled to fill in the mainline pavement gaps and then shift entrances to Hickory Creek Plaza, Atrium Point and Peace Lutheran Church.

Nash said, "We will continue to work with businesses and place signs as required to help traffic navigate the area." 

All the work mentioned above is dependent on weather and the possibility of unforeseen utility issues.

Any questions regarding the Route 30 construction project may be directed to the Village Engineering Department (815) 462-6450.

Subscribe to a free New Lenox Patch newsletter.