6-03-2024 7:24pm

Elevator Road to be widened and resurfaced this summer

Michael McGinnis Editor

Image: Romain Thierry

Now that school is out, construction has started on Elevator Road, beginning east of Love Road on Monday, June 3, 2024. Andy Limberg of the Winnebago County Highway Department says, "The project limits are from just west of Willowbrook Road to County Line Road. The work will consist of asphalt resurfacing, storm sewer installation, pipe culvert replacements, shoulder widening/paving and pavement markings. Portions of Elevator Road will be closed to thru traffic during pipe culvert replacements. The rest of the work will be done under traffic but traffic will be reduced to one lane at times. The work is expected to be completed by August 23, 2024. However, the duration of the work is dependent on the weather. Delays shall be expected. Please consider alternate routes and use caution in construction areas."

The Highway Department has been told that Boone County intends to resurface Hunter Road this summer, which is Boone County's name for their part of the same road, east of County Line Road. Going west, the road changes its name to Hononegah Road at IL-251.

Matt Fox, Winnebago County Highway Department, told us that bids were opened Tuesday, February 6, with Rock Road Companies being the low bidder. The Winnebago County Board awarded the bid on February 22. Fox said, "The widening will provide a 4' asphalt shoulder, similar to the improvements performed on Belvidere Road in 2023....The contract restricts the contractor from beginning any work until after May 30 in an attempt to coincide with the summer break calendar for the Roscoe Middle School and the Stone Creek / Ledgewood schools. The contract calls for the contractor to complete all work by the end of August. The project calls for the replacement of eight pipe culverts located throughout the project limits. The replacement of these culverts will require the closure of Elevator Road; however, the closures will be limited to one closure per pipe / location and will require that location to be opened to traffic before the next closure can occur. It is estimated that the pipe culvert replacement work will require 16 working days, depending on the weather. The project is being funded by Rebuild Illinois (RBI) funds."

Elevator Road has been a site of congestion in front of Stone Creek and Ledgewood schools, as parents drop off and pick up their little ones. Some residents have called for turn lanes to be added to Elevator Road. But Carlos Molina, the county engineer, says, "We are not doing turn lanes as part of this project. As we told the school representatives, the congestion is caused by internal circulation in the school grounds during drop off and pick up. We would have to build a ¼ mile to ½ mile long turn lane to be able to accommodate all those vehicles, and that is not feasible. We discussed, with the school reps, some improvements that could take place within the school grounds to help with the traffic back ups. We had a very good meeting and hopefully something can be done in the future."