By Marney Simon | Sentinel Staff
Travelers fed up with construction at Route 52 and River Road are just days away from smooth sailing through the intersection.
In late October, Trustee Dan Anderson updated the members of the village board on the project, which has kept the intersection in a state of repair since last spring.
Construction at Route 52 and River Road is expected to be complete this month. Work began last spring to widen the intersection, as well as to add a pedestrian bridge over the Hammel Creek channel. (Photo by Marney Simon)
“The River Road and Route 52 [construction], we requested a formal meeting with a progress report with D Construction on that project,” Anderson said. “They’re insisting that they’re going to be on schedule and have this project wrapped up by [Nov. 15], less the restoration work. So, we’ll just have to wait and see. That’s moving along also, and I know everybody is getting antsy and wants that intersection wrapped up.”
The major construction project kicked off back in April.
The intersection improvements include widening and resurfacing Route 52 to two through lanes and a left-turn lane in each direction. River Road is being widened and resurfaced to include a single through lane, a right-turn lane, and a left-turn lane in each direction.
The existing traffic signal at the intersection will also be upgrade, and the Hammel Creek channel along the north side of Route 52 has been regraded.
That pedestrian bridge was required for federal assistance funding on the project, to address pedestrian accommodations over the Hammel Creek spillway. A multi-use path is proposed to be constructed between the pond and Route 52 west of the intersection to connect to the existing path to the northwest.
The project is currently still on track for substantial competition this month, with restoration and lighting work slated to take place throughout the winter.
The village is taking the lead in the project, which received federal funding administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) at an 80/20 split.
D Construction is the main contractor for the $3 million project. Included in the scope of the project is the pedestrian bridge, at a cost of $770,144. The Village portion of the project is roughly $616,000.
Meanwhile, Anderson reminded the public that leaf pickup is underway.
The village of Shorewood utilizes a leaf vacuum to pick up leaves, which comes through residential streets once per week. Residents can rake their leaves to the curb for pickup. Mayor Rick Chapman noted that leaf pickup is for leaves only, and implored the public to leave it that way.
“We want to remind people, during leaf pickup, have the leaves are raked out to the curb but not past the curb,” Chapman said. “Please don’t throw foul material into the leaves. Think of yourself on the end of that suck hose or rake before you dump something into those leaf piles that shouldn’t be there. Just a little golden rule here, okay?”
Leaves must be placed on the parkway, parallel to the street and approximately 12 inches behind the curb or edge of pavement. Leaves may not be placed in the street or gutters.
Leaves placed in the street will not be collected until they are placed properly onto the parkway.
The collection is for leaves only, and does not include grass or brush.