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Archive for the ‘Road construction’ Category

Barrington Road widening project begins soon in South Barrington

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Cook, County, IDOT, Illinois Tollway, Property Taxes, Road construction, South Barrington, Taxes, Traffic on March 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Friday, South Barrington Village President Paula McCombie shared this in one of her weekly updates to residents:

“As I have reported in previous emails, the upcoming Barrington Road Widening Project will soon get underway. The first step is tree removal, which will begin along Barrington Road between Algonquin Road (IL 62) and Central Road within the next couple of weeks.”

Since we were unfamiliar with the project, we’ve learned this:

“Improvements to Barrington Road relieve congestion and reduce the risk of crashes.

Updates to Barrington Road provide two additional lanes of traffic in each direction separated by a median between Mundhank Road and Algonquin Road. Ardmore Roderick, selected as the prime consultant, leads Phase II engineering services for this transformative project, ensuring that the design and execution of improvements advance the infrastructure and serve the community’s needs.

As the lead firm, Ardmore Roderick is responsible for preparing plans, specifications, and estimates for the road between Illinois Route 62 and Central Road. A new shared-use path fills a gap in Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s regional trail system.

Additional improvements modernize and replace traffic signals throughout the corridor and replace the box culvert structure carrying Barrington Road over Poplar Creek. During the Phase II design process, Ardmore Roderick collaborated with the design team to incorporate a pile-supported embankment that strengthens soil stability, realigned the roadway to improve safety, and incorporated walls at strategic locations.”

A brief  project description can also be found here.

Buckle up.

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Barrington Downtown Streetscape Project Updates

Posted in Entertainment, Road construction, Taxes, Traffic on March 28, 2026| 1 Comment »

Downtown Streetscape Enhancements Begin Next Week

 

Exciting improvements are coming to downtown Barrington! Beginning Tuesday, March 31, Phase 1 of the streetscape enhancement project will kick off along Cook Street, Station Street and the northwest segment of Park Avenue.

 

The first few days of work will include preparation work, coordination with businesses, marking out project scope, sign removal, and staging. Demolition work is expected to begin on or around April 2, starting on the east side of South Cook Street.

 

Attachment is a revised phasing plan, which differs slightly from the one presented at the neighborhood meeting. The location of Phase 1 work is shown in orange. 

 

This phase includes the removal of pavers, installation of new sidewalks and clay brick accents, relocation of the trash enclosure on Station Street, and enhanced landscaping throughout, enhancing the look and feel of our downtown.

 

Construction will continue over the next few months, and the project is anticipated to be complete by the end of June (weather permitting).

 

All impacted businesses and restaurants remain open! Your continued support during construction makes a big difference to our community.

 

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the construction updates page on the Village’s website or watch for email notifications.

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U.S. Route 14 Underpass Update | March 26, 2026

Posted in Aunt Blabby, IDOT, Privacy, Public Safety, Road construction, Taxes, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass, Unions on March 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

When the weather conditions permitted, construction activity continued through the winter months. Between January and March, crews completed the following work:

Preparation for permanent sheeting installations
Permanent sheeting installation is required along the Route 14 corridor to support excavation and construction of the lowered roadway. Following excavation work, concrete formwork will cover the sheets, completing the final retaining wall structure. The contractor has completed pavement removal and surface preparation, positioning the start of this permanent sheet work this spring.

Ongoing construction of the storm sewer pump station
Following substantial completion of the pump pit structure last year, work on the pump station has continued through the winter. Activities included installing stairs and handrails, placing drains, removing concrete formwork and backfilling, applying waterproofing, retaining wall work, installing electrical conduit, and structure preparation and construction of masonry walls. For more information on the pump station, please refer to the December 2025 update.

Water Main and Storm Sewer Installation
Elevation changes associated with the lowering of Route 14 necessitate the rerouting of some existing Village utilities and installation of new facilities. Earlier this year, crews completed storm sewer and water main relocation work on Route 14 near Drury Lane. They also began installing additional storm sewer infrastructure to drain the future underpass, which will connect to the pump station structure.

Route 14 Culvert Construction
As part of the project, Flint Creek will be relocated to maintain gravity flow. Currently crossing under Route 14 just west of the railroad tracks, the creek will be shifted farther west toward Route 59, where it will flow beneath Route 14 through a new storm sewer culvert. Construction of this culvert is underway, with excavation work completed and forming and rebar placement work underway. The culvert’s bottom slab will be formed and poured first, followed by the walls and top of the structure. After completion of this work, a similar structure will be constructed to carry the creek under Route 59.

Continued relocating utilities
Utility relocation work has continued throughout the winter and will progress alongside upcoming construction activities.

Weather and material availability permitting, the contractor plans to begin sheeting and excavation work necessary to begin construction of the railroad bridge this month. As this work progresses, the contractor will refine plans for the remainder of this year.

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the dedicated project website us14underpass.com or watch for email notifications.

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Roads & Bridges Committee meets this afternoon

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Deception, ePacket Agendas, Ethics, One Barrington Hills, Open Meetings Act, Overhead, Property Taxes, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Robert’s Rules of Order, Simple Minds, Taxes, Transparency, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village Government, WTF on March 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Village Roads & Bridges Committee meets this afternoon at 4 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

  • [Vote] Road Program 2026 Recommendation (Left blank)
  • River/Algonquin Road Curve

A copy of the full posted agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

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In case you’re heading East on Palatine Road for the foreseeable future…

Posted in Road construction, Traffic on March 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

CONSTRUCTION ALERT: “The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) resumed work on the Illinois Route 53 improvements from Interstate 90 to Lake Cook Road this week. Starting this Friday, March 6, four of the ramps at Palatine Road will be closed until approximately August 1. The ramps to be closed are:

  • Eastbound Palatine Road to northbound Illinois 53
  • Westbound Palatine Road to southbound Illinois 53
  • Southbound Illinois 53 to eastbound Palatine Road
  • Northbound Illinois 53 to westbound Palatine Road

Starting this Monday, March 9, Palatine Road under Illinois 53 will be reduced to one lane in each direction until approximately August 1. The lane closures will vary between the inside and outside lanes, depending on the work areas.

Lane shifts and closures on Illinois 53 between Rand Road and Kirchoff Road are also expected. Illinois 53 will be reduced to two lanes in each direction throughout the duration of the project, along with ramp closures and overnight lane closures.

IDOT anticipates the majority of the work to be completed by the end of this year, with landscaping and miscellaneous work to be completed in 2027.”

For more info visit “Illinois 53 Improvements.”

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Waymo driverless cars are coming to Chicago as company starts laying early groundwork

Posted in Clown Car, Goat Rodeo, Going green, Public Safety, Road construction, Topics Of Interest, Traffic on February 26, 2026| 1 Comment »

By Elyssa Kaufman | CBS Chicago

Waymo is coming to Chicago, and some of those vehicles were already spotted in the city.

The driverless car company based in Silicon Valley said it will start “laying the early groundwork” for operations in Chicago.

The vehicles are already in the city, each had drivers and were not picking up any customers. They were surveying the roads in preparation for if and when it goes live.

At least two rows of the Waymo vehicles were found inside a parking garage downtown.

“We are coordinating closely with community leaders and policymakers and believe autonomous technology can strongly support Chicago’s goals for road safety and enhanced accessibility for all communities,” Waymo officials said in a written release.

It is not clear when Waymo service will be available in Chicago, but the service is already live in other cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed the city was notified about operations and said, ” It was stated to the City that the company would not be presently deploying any autonomous vehicles within Chicago.” The mayor’s office released the following statement in part:

“There is no law or regulatory framework which prohibits any licensed individual from driving in Chicago. As of now, autonomous vehicles have not been authorized within the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois.

The City looks forward to engaging with commuters, workers, transit advocates and industry leaders as we pursue constructive dialogue with our partners in Springfield and pursue an equitable path forward.”

The mayor’s office said Waymo will be operating in Chicago to map streets and record data on driving conditions.

Not everyone was thrilled by the idea of a driverless car, expressing concerns over safety, especially with Chicago’s specific traffic patterns and in the case of snowy roads.

Article continues here.

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Illinois TOPS NATION for public sector union political spending

Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Area Library, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, BOHICA, Cook, County, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fools and their money, Illinois Federation of Teachers, League of Women Voters, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Preckwinkle's Rules of Order, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Road construction, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on December 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Scott Stantis / For the Chicago Tribune

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor

Commonwealth Foundation Labor and Policy Senior Director David Osborne says Chicago’s growing reputation as the place where public sector unions flex plenty of political muscle is more than well deserved.

Osborne points to a new Commonwealth Foundation report highlighting how public sector unions across Illinois spent nearly $30 million on state races over the 2023-24 election cycle, or far more than what union officials in any other state dedicated to such causes.

At $5.5 million, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson tops the State Government Union Pac Money List of those most benefiting from government employment unions support. In addition to Johnson, at least six other state lawmakers land on the list’s Top 20, lead by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, at No. 2 and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, at No. 4.

“In the state of Illinois, political spending is bigger than in any other state,” Osborne told The Center Square. “Unions seem very focused on who gets elected to be the mayor of Chicago and governor of the state. What you’ve got really is a downward spiral in Illinois where the kinds of unions that have gotten so powerful have really done it at the expense of taxpayers and then they’re pouring more money into getting the right kind of people elected for them.”

With researchers adding that almost 96% of all donations for Illinois-level candidates went to Democrats, Osborne said it’s past time someone address the imbalance.

“Public sector unions, they’re not often talked about as the cause of problems,” he said. “We often look to high taxes, bigger government, economic policies, but really what’s driving states and cities to enact policies that are harmful to individuals, that raise taxes, that grow the size of government beyond its purpose are public sector unions.

Read more here.

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Village Board of Trustees meet Monday

Posted in Aunt Blabby, BACOG, Barbarian Migrants in Busses at the Gate, Better Government Association, Board of Health, Building Department, Dumb and Dumber, ePacket Agendas, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, FOIA, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Insurance Committee, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Legal Expenses, Minutes, OMA, One Barrington Hills, Pension Funding, Plan Commission, Police Pension Board, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Taxes, TMI, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village Treasurer, Zoning Board on December 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting tomorrow evening beginning at 6:30 PM. A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

 

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Riding Club fenagles private summit with IDOT Route 62 Study officials Tuesday

Posted in Algonquin Rd, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Bicyclists, Big Red, Clown Car, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Don't Change Barrington Hills, Equestrian Commission, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Longmeadow Parkway, Massbach Hounds, New Normal?, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, SOS Party, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, Village Engineer, WTF on December 12, 2025| Leave a Comment »

“The CAG is a collection of community representatives and serves as the focal point for the exchange of information between government entities and the local community. The CAG is made up of representatives of diverse community interests, local government officials, community representatives, property owners and residents, and stakeholders with technical expertise. The CAG assists IDOT in making better decisions on transportation related projects that benefit the community and environment. Members are invited based upon who they represent with the goal being an even distribution from each interest area.

The application window for the Community Advisory Group is now closed.

CAG Meeting #6 was held on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 from 10am-12pm. Materials from CAG Meeting #6 are available below.

CAG Meeting #6

Exhibits

Presentation

Editorial notes: The reader who was kind enough to forward this tip noted: “Of considerable note are the currently proposed designs for the Bateman Road and Old Sutton Road intersections: non-signalized Right-In/Right-Out with a U-turn, as depicted (below):”

(Click on image to enlarge)

Also, to appease the Riding Clan, IDOT included a graphic of a, “Potential Pedestrian Underpass,” as seen below:

Last, it’s unclear if the current Village Roads & Bridges Chair (A.B.) was invited to the meeting. We highly doubt it (for obvious reasons).

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U.S. Route 14 Underpass Update

Posted in Aunt Blabby, EJ&E/Canadian National, IDOT, Road construction on December 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Construction activity has continued since Route 14 reopened on its new temporary four-lane roadway at the end of October.

Over the past month, crews have completed the following work:

  • Installed sheeting just east of IL 59 (Hough Street). This sheeting will allow crews to safely excavate the area needed for the new Route 14 culvert, a storm sewer that will carry the relocated Flint Creek beneath the roadway.
  • Substantially completed the pump pit structure for the storm sewer pump station. Most of the surrounding area has been designed to drain naturally away from the Route 14 underpass. However, during rain events, the sloped roadway sections will channel water toward the lowest point of the underpass. Large storm sewers will capture this water and direct it underground to the pump station, located just east of Jiffy Lube. The pump station will collect water in the completed pit, pump it back to the surface level, and release it slowly into the relocated Flint Creek. This entire drainage system has been engineered to ensure positive drainage and has been reviewed and approved by the state, Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Installed foundations for future noise walls around the project perimeter.
  • Continued relocating utilities.

Weather and material availability permitting, the contractor plans to begin excavation and installation of the Route 14 culvert over the next month, along with continued construction of the pump station. As utility relocation progresses, the contractor will refine plans for early next year. Upcoming work is expected to include the following: preparation for retaining walls, additional utility installations, and construction of the railroad bridge structure.

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the dedicated project website us14underpass.com or watch for email notifications.

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