By Brian Stanley
Reconstruction of the intersection of Route 52 and River Road is unlikely to be finished before mid-April.
And it’s estimated the delay from the originally scheduled November 2018 completion date will cost the village another $80,000.
Village officials discussed the project at the Jan. 8 board meeting but rescheduled voting on an extension of engineering services with Christopher Burke Engineering until Jan. 22
Engineer Bryan Welch told the board delays on other federal projects caused a delay in this one. Federal grants were used by the Illinois Department of Transportation to cover 80 percent of the approximately $3.1 million cost. Shorewood was initially expected to contribute $616,000 toward the cost.
The project is widening Route 52 to two through lanes and a left-turn lane in both directions. River Road is being widened to one through lane and right and left turn lanes in both directions. Both roads are also being resurfaced.
The project also required regrading the Hammel Creek channel on the north side of Route 52 and construction of a bridge and path to accommodate pedestrians. Pedestrian access was a federal funding requirement for the project, according to information provided by the village. Nearby Glen Mor Drive is being converted to right-turn only access at River Road to prevent backups into the intersection.
According to village staff updates, rainy days led to some delays shortly after the reconstruction started last spring, but Trustee Dan Anderson told Welch he thought the project should be further along than it is.
“I drive by every day and I saw a lot of (inactivity) out there over the summer,” Anderson said.