What’s New for Willow Road?

For June 17 to June 28

At the June 12, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting, IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks. 

•  The Bristol Street detour will remain in effect for work at the bridge.  Vehicles can access Bristol from the south but do not have access to Willow Road.  The public parking spaces in the area will remain available.         
• The Phase I work has been started west of Sunset Ridge Road and is expected to continue throughout the summer.  The lane closures and traffic patterns for this work are in effect including those for Waukegan Road.
•  The Pre-stage work west of Sunset Ridge Road will continue and it includes the installation of temporary pavement along the corridor, a new water main, and the retaining wall and drainage structures near the bridge.  The lane closures for this work are already in place.
•  The temporary traffic signal installations will continue on the east end of the project in the downtown area.  Additional, short term, lane closures may be needed for portions of this work.
• Utility work also continues throughout the corridor with Nicor working on the south side of the roadway between Sunset Ridge and Wagner; AT&T is relocating their facilities to the new poles and finishing their temporary fiber relocations; and ComEd will be removing the older poles once they are cleared of all wires.    Additional, short term, lane closures may be needed for portions of this work.  

 

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp.   

 

Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility issues, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.   #willowroadcp

Waukegan Lane Changes

On Wednesday, June 12 traffic lane changes are planned on Waukegan Road at the Willow Road intersection. The morning rush hour is not anticipated to be impacted, but the changes will likely be in place by the end of the day. Motorists should expect delays.

Features of the New Willow Road

With construction under way, many people are already looking forward to completion and want to know more about the new Willow Road. Here are some details.

The final roadway was designed and is being constructed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).  Prior to moving forward with construction, IDOT took the roadway through a two-year Community Advisory Group (CAG) process to get input on the overall design from the towns of Northfield, Northbrook, Glenview and Winnetka. Many options were studied, but, in the end, IDOT elected to construct a road that consists of two eastbound travel lanes, two westbound travel lanes, with left-hand turn lanes at the intersections.    The roadway will also contain the following enhancements that were recommended by the CAG members:

• 10 feet wide travel lanes
•  30 m.p.h. speed limit
•  Planted medians with enhanced gateway plantings
•  6 feet wide sidewalks on both sides of the street
•  Pedestrian crossing features:
      Extra wide crosswalks
      Pushbutton countdown pedestrian signal
      Center refuge medians
      Lighted intersections
      Corner  planting
          Mid-block pedestrian park crossing at Clarkson Park
• Parkway trees every 30 to 40 feet
• Decorative stone bridge and retaining wall
• 7 feet wide sidewalk over the Eden’s Bridge
• Brick paver sidewalks and decorative lighting in the downtown
•  Decorative combined signal and lighting poles at the intersections
• A large storm water system under the roadway

To follow the progress of the work and monitor traffic conditions, stay tuned to http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ on Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project or Twitter @willowroadcp.   

What's New for Willow Road

For June 3 to May 14

At the May 29, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting, IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks.

• A Bristol Street detour will go into effect for work at the bridge. Vehicles will be able to access Bristol from the south but will not have access to Willow Road. The public parking spaces in the area will be open in the evenings and weekends. The detour is scheduled through the end of July.
   
• The Wagner Road detour is expected to be removed by June 3. • City Lights will continue to install temporary traffic signals at the intersections and they anticipate activating the temporary signals on the west end of the project.
   
• Lorig Construction will continue removing the existing medians and installing temporary pavement along the corridor. They will also start the new water main and retaining wall work at the bridge. The lane closures for this work are already in place.
   
• As soon as the utilities are out of the way, Lorig will start the Phase I work west of Sunset Ridge Road. New lane closures and traffic patterns will go into effect in this area. Traffic will be shifted to the south side of the right of way so that the new roadway and sidewalk can be built on the north.
   
• Nicor will continue work on the south side of the roadway predominantly between Sunset Ridge and Wagner. There will be times when their work requires sidewalk sections to be removed and Nicor will provide temporary gravel in these locations when they are completed.

• Comcast and AT&T will continue to relocate their facilities to the new Com Ed poles. Once those relocations are complete, the old poles will be removed.
   
• AT&T plans to finish their temporary fiber relocations near the river by June 3. When this work is complete, installation of the water main and construction of the retaining wall will begin.

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp.

Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility issues, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.  

#willowroadcp

 

Bristol Street Detour Begins Monday

On Monday, May 27, IDOT will close the intersection of Bristol Street and Willow Road.  The intersection will be closed to allow for the installation of a new retaining wall and underground utilities and will remain closed until this work is completed.
Bristol Street will be open to local traffic from the south, but drivers will not be able to access Bristol from Willow Road.  Click here to see a map of the proposed detour.  

Whats New For Willow Road

What’s New for Willow Road?

For May 20 to May 31

At the May 15, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting, IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks.  The planned work includes:

•  Nicor will continue work on the west end of the project, including a connection across the Sunset Ridge intersection. Nicor will confine its work within the roadway between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and they will have flaggers to direct traffic. When this phase is complete, NICOR anticipates starting its relocation work on the south side of the right of way between Sunset Ridge Road and the river. 
   
• Comcast and AT&T will continue to relocate their facilities to the new Com Ed poles installed along the right of way.  Once those relocations are complete, the old poles will be removed.
   
• AT&T also plans to relocate its fiber facilities near the river.  When this work is complete, installation of the water main and construction of the retaining wall near the river will begin.  That work will require the temporary closure of Bristol Street and appropriate detours.
   
•  City Lights will continue to install temporary traffic signals at the intersections.  They anticipate activating the temporary signals on the west end of the project by the end of May.   
   
•  Lorig Construction will continue removing the existing medians along the corridor and then installing temporary pavement in these areas.  This work is started on the west end of the project. Lane closures for this phase are already in place.

 

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp.   

Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility issues, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.   

Frequently Asked Questions

May 10, 2013

Who should I contact if I have a question or an issue? The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) manages the Willow Road Redevelopment project. Any questions or concerns can be e-mailed to their construction team at brahe@v3co.com, phoned into the field office at 847-784-8738 or directed to their web page at http://www.dot.il.gov/WillowRoad/index.html

Why are there traffic barriers and lanes closed when very little work is going on? With each phase of construction, traffic barriers are used to provide a safe work zone. The current configuration is for the “pre-stage” work, which includes tree removal, median removal, the installation of temporary pavement on the south side of the road, and utility relocation. Once the pre-stage work is complete, the next phase of the project can start. In order to avoid confusion, due to frequent changes in lane configurations, these are not set up or taken down on a day-to-day basis but rather with each new phase of the project.

Why is there a Wagner Road detour in place? This detour is not part of the Willow Road project but is associated with a Safe Routes to School project. Northfield received funding to improve school access, and the contractor will be working to enclose a culvert on Wagner Road to make it safer for children walking to Middlefork School and the Park District facilities. Northbound Wagner Road will be closed between Willow and Old Willow for the next two weeks.

What is the best way to stay informed on construction activity? For live traffic updates, detailed maps of the project design, and up-to-date information on the construction activity, follow the progress on the Willow Road web page http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; the IDOT web page www.dot.il.gov/willow road/index.html ; Facebook - Willow Road Construction Project; Twitter - @willowroadcp; Instagram- willowroadcp; and e-news at www.northfieldil.org

How long will the project take? The roadway work is expected to take place over two construction seasons and be completed by the end of 2014. The final restoration work and plantings are planned for the spring of 2015.

Will the sidewalks be open during construction? Sidewalks will be available during construction but not in the areas adjacent to construction. In Phase I, the south side will be available; in Phase II, the north side will be available; and in Phase III both sides will be open.

Are drawings available to show what the final roadway will look like? You can view the overall project design and landscape plans by clicking the links provide on the right-hand side at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/. If you have detailed construction questions or want to know how the project may impact a particular property, contact IDOT at brahe@v3co.com.

Can the timing of the traffic lights be adjusted to allow traffic to flow more smoothly during construction? Yes. IDOT will evaluate the intersections during each phase of construction and, when possible, will adjust the signal times to mitigate traffic backups. Nonetheless, delays are anticipated throughout construction.

Whats New for Willow Road

For May 6 to May 17

At the May 1, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks. The work planned includes:

Weeks of May 6th & 13th

• The utility companies such as Com Ed, Comcast, AT&T, and NICOR will continue their work relocating utilities that are in conflict with the new roadway. NICOR will be focusing most of their work in the western portion of the project between Waukegan Road. To allow them to work safely they will be making some temporary changes to the traffic configurations in their work zones. Once completed the barricades will be reinstalled to the pre-stage work locations. 

• The general contractor, Lorig Construction will continue to set new poles for the temporary traffic signals at the intersections. This work has already started at Waukegan and Willow and the contractor will continue moving east, intersection by intersection. If the soil samples are approvals by the reception site, the contractor will begin the median removals as early as next week. They plan to start west of Waukegan Road and work their way east. The lane closures have already been put in place to accommodate this work.

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp. Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.

Willow Road Construction Process

 

To help you follow the progress of the Willow Road redevelopment project, we want to explain in detail IDOT’s plan.  Construction will proceed in phases with the goals of maximizing efficiency and safety for pedestrians and motorists, alike. Throughout the two-year construction period, IDOT’s plan is to keep at least one lane of traffic open in each direction throughout the corridor.  The following is a brief overview of how IDOT plans to phase the improvements:

• Pre-Phase I – Preparation Work

This work is currently underway and includes relocating the underground and overhead utilities that are in conflict with the project; installing temporary traffic signals at each intersection; removing trees, medians or other conflicts along the corridor; installing erosion control measures and other fencing to protect the work zone and adjacent properties; and finally, installing a temporary lane/pavement on the south side of the roadway to allow one lane of traffic to remain open both east and west bound.   Once completed, Phase I work begins.

• Phase I – North Side Construction 

During this initial construction phase, temporary traffic controls and barricades will be installed to shift all of the traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, to the south side of the corridor.   The contractor will then work on the north side of the project to install the utilities, curbs and gutter, storm water system, roadway and sidewalks.  Once completed, Phase II work begins.

• Phase II – South Side Construction 

During this next phase of work, the temporary traffic controls and barricades will be relocated and the traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, will be shifted to the newly constructed north side of the corridor.   The contractor will then work on the south side of the project to install the utilities, curbs and gutter, storm water system, roadway and sidewalks.  Once completed, Phase III work begins.

• Phase III – Center Construction 

During this final phase of roadway work, the temporary traffic controls and barricades will be relocated, and the vehicular traffic will be shifted so that the westbound traffic is on the far north side of the corridor and the eastbound traffic is on the far south side of the corridor.   During this phase, the pedestrian sidewalks will be open on both sides of the street.   The contractor will then install the center medians and the curbs, gutter and roadway in the center portion of the corridor.  Once completed, Phase IV final restoration work begins.

• Phase IV – Restoration 

During this final phase of work, the contractor will complete the final grading; place new top soil and seed; install 569 new trees, 848 shrubs, and about 11,000 perennials in the parkway and medians; and complete all of the final finishes including the decorative bridge and lighting details in the Village Center.

This multi-phase process is expected to take about two years to complete.  The roadway and sidewalk work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, and then the planting and restoration work will take place immediately following in the spring of 2015.  Regular updates will be available throughout the construction process.  To follow the progress and monitor traffic conditions please check in at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project or Twitter @willowroadcp.

What's New for Willow Road

For April 22 to May 3, 2013

At the April 17, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks. The work planned includes:

Weeks of April 22nd & 29th

• Utility companies such as Com Ed, Comcast and NICOR will continue their work relocating utilities that are in conflict with the new roadway.
• The general contractor, Lorig Construction will continue to install erosion control measures to ensure that silt and other debris is not washed away into adjacent properties or waterways; they will be installing the temporary traffic signals at the intersections, starting on the west end of the project at Waukegan and Willow; and will then start removing the existing landscape medians.

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp.

Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.   

Willow Road Landscape Plans

As the first stage of the Willow Road redevelopment project begins, workers are preparing the landscape for construction.  Trees in conflict with the new roadway have been removed, while other trees, tagged with ribbon, will be protected.  An arborist will prune these trees to maximize their chances for surviving the construction process.

For the new Willow Road, IDOT, the Village of Northfield, Hitchcock Design Group and the Chicago Botanic Gardens developed an extensive landscape plan. In total, 569 new trees, 848 shrubs, and about 11,000 perennials will be installed.  Click here to see the final landscape plan.  The new plantings will provide for:

• Enhanced gateway medians on the east and west ends of the project
• Planted medians throughout the corridor
• Perennial plantings in the medians and at enhanced intersections, and
• Parkway trees on both sides of the whole roadway

Along with the new plantings the final plan provides for decorative lighting, brick sidewalks, and a decorative stone bridge in the Village Center area. 

To follow the progress of the work and monitor traffic conditions stay tuned to http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ on Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project or Twitter @willowroadcp.   

Waukegan Road

Starting April 10th, additional lane closures will be put into effect on Waukegan Road (Route 43) between Three Lakes Drive and Westleigh Drive. Traffic delays are expected.

Whats New for Willow Road

 

For April 8 to April 19

At the April 3, 2013 Willow Road coordination meeting IDOT and Lorig Construction provided their proposed construction schedule for the next two weeks.The work planned includes:

Weeks of April 8^th & 15^t

 

•  The tree subcontractor, Homer Tree, will continue to remove the remaining trees scheduled to be taken out and replaced with the project.
•  Utility companies such as Com Ed, Comcast and NICOR will continue their work relocating utilities that are in conflict with the new roadway.
• The general contractor, Lorig Construction will begin to install erosion control measures to ensure that silt and other debris is not washed away into adjacent properties or waterways; they will be installing the temporary traffic signals at the intersections; and will start removing the existing landscape medians.

 

More detailed construction work and traffic conditions can be tracked at http://northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com/ ; through Facebook at Willow Road Construction Project; or through Twitter at @willowroadcp.

Please note that the actual start dates and activities may change due to weather, utility, permitting approvals, or other contractor conflicts.

 

Lane Closures

Additional lane closures are planned for tomorrow, April 3rd, between Northfield Road and the Eden’s Expressway. The closures are to provide for tree and median removal. Traffic delays are expected.

What’s New for Willow Road

What’s New for Willow Road

For March 25 to April 5

At this week’s Willow Road coordination meeting with IDOT, we got our first “look ahead” schedule for the start of construction. The general contractor, Lorig Construction, will provide construction updates each week, and we will post outlines of their anticipated activities so that you can better plan ahead. Please stay tuned.

The work planned for the next two weeks includes:

Week of March 25 - The tree subcontractor, Homer Tree, plans to begin removing the trees scheduled to be taken out and replaced on the project.  In addition, several of the utility companies will continue moving any of their facilities that conflict with the new roadway.

Week of March April 1 - Lorig Construction plans to begin to:

• Install the erosion control measures to ensure that silt and other debris is not washed away into adjacent properties or waterways. 
• Close single lanes in the four-lane sections to facilitate work in the medians
•  Removal of some of the existing curbs and gutters along the corridor
• Start grading and earth removal to allow for the installation of a temporary lane on the south side of the roadway
• Install the new water main in the area just west of the river and
• Install the temporary traffic signals. 

Utility relocation will also continue through this week.

Please note that the actual start dates may change due to weather, utility, or other contractor conflicts. 
#willowroadcp

Stay Informed about the Willow Road Redevelopment Project

Stay Informed about the Willow Road Redevelopment Project

The Village of Northfield has established a communication plan to help residents get regular updates on the construction of the new Willow Road.  The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) plans to start their redevelopment of Willow Road this spring.  With an estimated 30,000 cars traveling along this corridor a day, Village officials hope to make it easy for residents and commuters to stay informed and plan their daily activities. 

For live traffic updates, detailed maps of the project design, and up to date information on the construction activity follow the progress through the following:

Willow Road web page:	northfieldwillowroad.blogspot.com
IDOT web page:	www.dot.il.gov/WillowRoad/index.html
Facebook:	Facebook Willow Road Construction Project
Twitter:	@willowroadcp
Instagram:	willowroadcp
E-News:	Sign up at www.northfieldil.org

Please note that the Twitter and Facebook accounts have been set up as a way to keep our citizens informed about the construction project.  They will not be monitored for feedback.  All inquiries on the project should be sent directly to IDOT at http://tinyurl.com/idotadmin