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U.S. Route 14 Underpass Update | Sept. 21, 2026

Posted in Road construction, School Districts, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on September 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Over the past two months, crews have coordinated the following work:

  • Railroad bridge construction. Crews completed the footing for the north bridge abutment (the structural element at each end of a bridge) and are nearing completion of formwork for the northern bridge wall, which will begin being poured before the end of the month. Crews completed sheeting and excavation work for the center bridge pier and have begun installation of the sheet pile foundation at the center pier location.
  • Storm Sewer Installation. Crews began installation of the storm sewer, which will convey stormwater from the bottom of the underpass to the Illinois Department of Transportation storm sewer pump station to keep the roadway dry in inclement weather.
  • Continued work on storm sewer pump station. With building work largely complete, crews continue with electrical and HVAC work to support the facility.
  • Initiated Route 59 culvert construction, a storm sewer that will carry the relocated Flint Creek beneath the roadway. Crews installed traffic control, which allows for the west half of this storm sewer structure to be constructed. Ahead of culvert work, sanitary sewer and water main relocations were completed in this location, and sheeting was installed along the roadway centerline to allow for adjacent excavation work. Excavation is now underway, to be followed by the forming and pouring of the bottom slab of this new storm sewer culvert.

As the contractor continues the Route 59 culvert work as shared above, the current traffic pattern outlined below will remain in place to facilitate this work.

  • A temporarily shortened northbound left-turn lane from Hough Street onto Route 14.
  • Temporary closure of Lions Drive at Hough Street. Barrington Park District visitors can still access Lions Drive from Route 14.

The contractor is working to consolidate construction stages and complete the west half of the Route 59 culvert as part of ongoing work in this area. They are targeting completion of the west half of the culvert near the end of October, followed by roadway restoration work. Currently, we anticipate shifting traffic onto the restored western half of Hough Street and reopening access to Lions Drive ahead of Thanksgiving.

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

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1 hospitalized after three-vehicle crash leads to one car being hit by Metra train in Barrington

Posted in Accidents, Lake & McHenry County Scanner, METRA, Traffic on September 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Police investigate a multiple-vehicle crash and subsequent crash involving a Metra train at Route 14 and Hart Road in Barrington that sent one person to the hospital with injuries after their car sustained major damage Friday morning. | Photo: Nick Rusin

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

One person was transported to the hospital after a three-vehicle crash resulted in one of the cars being hit by a passing Metra train, causing major damage, on the UP-NW line in Barrington Friday morning.

The Barrington Police Department and Barrington Fire Department responded around 11:45 a.m. Friday to the area of Route 14, also known as Northwest Highway, and Hart Road in Barrington for a report of a crash involving a train.

Police investigate a multiple-vehicle crash and subsequent crash involving a Metra train at Route 14 and Hart Road in Barrington that sent one person to the hospital with injuries after their car sustained major damage Friday morning. | Photo: Nick Rusin

Emergency crews arrived and found multiple vehicles involved, along with a Metra train.

The crash occurred along the Union Pacific Northwest line between the Barrington and Fox River Grove Metra stations.

Police investigate a multiple-vehicle crash and subsequent crash involving a Metra train at Route 14 and Hart Road in Barrington that sent one person to the hospital with injuries after their car sustained major damage Friday morning. | Photo: Nick Rusin

One of the cars, a red Chevrolet Malibu, appeared to have been the vehicle struck by the train. It sustained major damage and came to rest off the road.

Report continues here.

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Man hospitalized after train and vehicle collide in Barrington

Posted in Accidents, Daily Herald, METRA, Traffic on September 18, 2026| 1 Comment »

By Marni Pyke | Daily Herald

Metra officials are investigating a crash involving a car and a train early Friday afternoon in Barrington that is causing extensive delays.

The male driver of the car that collided with an outbound Union Pacific Northwest Line train was rushed to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital; his condition was unavailable, a spokesperson said.

The crash occurred shortly after noon at a crossing near Northwest Highway and Hart Road.

It appears the vehicle was on the tracks when it was struck, but more details were not available as Metra police continue to investigate.

More here.

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From the Chicago suburbs to short line railroad companies, proposed merger heightens concerns

Posted in BACOG, Chicago Tribune, EJ&E/Canadian National, Politics, Road construction, TRAC, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on September 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A Canadian National freight train stops traffic along U.S. Route 14 on Aug. 6, 2026, in Barrington. An underpass is being constructed at this location to allow traffic to flow better. The underpass is expected to be completed in late 2027. | Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

By John Lippert | For the Chicago Tribune

When Karen Darch started agitating in 2007 for an underpass so U.S. Route 14 can pass beneath the Canadian National railroad tracks in Barrington, she had six children and no grandkids.

Nineteen years later, as workers are shattering the affluent quiet of her suburban street by pounding retaining walls for the underpass into place, she has seven grandchildren.

Darch says she can’t say how many grandchildren she’ll have when the half-mile, $94 million underpass is finally complete, hopefully by the end of next year.

But now, Darch is confronting a problem that could aggravate her grandchildren for decades to come.

That problem is a new round of mergers that’s putting the ownership structure of North American railroads through a blender and triggering a prolonged period of tension and uncertainty.

Union Pacific, in tandem with its $85 billion takeover bid for Norfolk Southern, has agreed to start running more trains over Canadian National’s suburban Chicago network. At the outset, this will include rerouting some trains now running through inner-city Chicago.

Former Barrington Village President Karen Darch stands near construction for the new U.S. Route 14 underpass on Aug. 6, 2026, in Barrington. Darch spent years seeking solutions like this underpass to rail-induced traffic problems. The underpass will be routed under freight train rails where currently traffic gets blocked several times a day. | Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

Darch, an attorney who served as Barrington’s village president for 20 years until last year, says she believes that sooner or later, the railroads will build a second freight track through Barrington, a suburb 35 miles northwest of Chicago. That’s because Canadian National has already spent years double-tracking the line to within 10 miles south of Barrington, she said.

In theory, rail experts say, this second track could mean dozens of additional Canadian National and Union Pacific freight trains rolling each day through downtown Barrington at 40 miles an hour, up from 20 currently.

That’s in addition to the  50,000 cars and trucks that converge on Barrington each day, and 800 daily school bus trips. Barrington also attracts 70 Metra commuter trains per day. Each of these blocks the main north-south and east-west streets through downtown for a few minutes as passengers come and go.

“If they build another track, there’s going to be a much greater impact than we’re feeling now, so more has to happen in response. We may need another underpass, or maybe two other underpasses,” said Darch in an interview last month. “And a greater portion of the funding should come from businesses that are benefiting from traveling the rail.”

Report continues here.

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Equestrian/Riding Club Commission meets tonight

Posted in Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Bicyclists, Commercial Horse Boarding, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Don't Change Barrington Hills, Elections, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Flock Cameras, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, IDOT, Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Longmeadow Parkway, Mad Cows, Massbach Hounds, Overhead, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Roads and Bridges, SOS Party, Taxes, The Other Half, TMI, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, Unions, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Your Barrington Hills on September 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Equestrian/Riding Club Commission will be meeting this evening at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

A copy of the agenda and Zoom link can be found here.

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Barrington hopes streetscape improvements boost downtown’s draw

Posted in Daily Herald, Entertainment, Fools and their money, Politics, Road construction, Taxes, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on August 31, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald

Barrington officials are celebrating the completion of phase one of the village’s downtown streetscape project, which they hope will boost the town center as a regional attraction.

The $1.5 million project included replacing deteriorating sidewalk pavers with new concrete and clay brick accents, and resurfacing and restriping aging streets.

New landscaping includes flower beds and planters bursting with color.

“From the beginning, our goal was to create a downtown that is more beautiful, accessible, welcoming and easier to maintain for years to come,” Village Manager Scott Anderson said.

Village President Mike Moran noted the work also creates expanded outdoor dining spaces (but not parking) for businesses such as Cook Street Coffee and Gigi Wine Bar and Bistro.

Article continues here.

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Putting on the brakes: New Illinois law establishes rules for e-bikes, scooters

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Bicyclists, Capitol News Illinois, E-bikes, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Public Safety, School Districts, Springfield, Traffic on August 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By Ben Szalinski | Capitol News Illinois

New rules governing who can use electronic bikes and scooters, including where and how fast they go, will go into effect next year following Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature on Wednesday.

Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3484 which establishes regulations on “micromobility” transportation that include age requirements, speed limits and rules on where they can be operated. The bill takes effect Jan. 1.

“Technology is evolving, providing expanded mobility options for our neighbors through the rise in popularity of e-bikes and scooters,” bill sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), said in a statement. “But without clear regulations for these devices, we are seeing increased injuries and accidents — jeopardizing community safety.”

The bill passed both chambers with bipartisan support on June 1 following several amendments throughout the spring session.

The new law was one of Secretary of State Alex “Ali G”i Giannoulias’ top priorities during the legislative session. The Chicago mayoral candidate said unregulated micromobility devices have become a problem in the city.

“As these high-powered devices become faster and more common on our streets and sidewalks, the stakes are simply too high to leave them unregulated and outpacing public safety,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “This law brings accountability and common-sense safety standards to our roads while helping prevent serious injuries and ensuring riders, parents and communities understand how to safely share the road.”

The state already has some regulations for low-speed electric bikes and scooters, but regulation often varies at the local level. The bill creates new statewide standards for high-speed electric bikes and scooters, electric motor bikes, and electric unicycles and skateboards.

“Municipal leaders have been responding in real time as new electric devices appear on local streets, sidewalks and bike paths,” Illinois Municipal League CEO Brad Cole said in a statement. “A statewide framework gives communities greater consistency while providing local officials and law enforcement with clearer guidance.”

Law enforcement groups were also in support of the bill.

Report continues here.

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Reminder: Route 59 in North Barrington scheduled to close today

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Daily Herald, IDOT, Lake, Road construction, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass, Unions on August 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“Route 59 from Cuba Road to Route 22 in North Barrington will be closed to traffic for more than a month beginning Thursday, Aug. 13, through Sept. 15.

The closure is necessary to replace the large box culvert under the highway and is part of the $2.17 million GHO Stormwater Drainage Project, designed to address 20 years of flooding in the area. The detour route is Route 59 to Cuba Road to Ela Road to Route 12 to Route 22.

Motorists should allow extra travel time. Visit northbarrington.org for more information about the stormwater drainage project.”

Source

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Route 59 to close in North Barrington next week for a month (ish)

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Lake County Forest Preserve District, Press Release, Road construction, School Districts, Taxes, Traffic, Unions on August 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE
GHO STORMWATER DRAINAGE PROJECT 

ROADWAY CLOSURE:    IL Rte. 59 from Cuba Road to IL Rte. 22 (northbound & southbound).

CLOSURE DATES: August 13, 2026 through September 15, 2026

The Village of North Barrington wants to advise motorists that IL Rte. 59 will be closed for thirty-four (34) days from Cuba Road to IL Rte. 22 from Thursday, August 13th through Tuesday, September 15th.

The closure is necessary to replace the large box culvert under the highway and is part of the GHO stormwater drainage project currently underway by the Village of North Barrington.

DETOUR ROUTE:  Rte. 59 to Cuba Rd. to Ela Rd. to IL Rte. 12 to IL Rte. 22.

Motorists should allow extra travel time, use caution near the work zone, and follow the posted detour signage.

The Village of North Barrington appreciates everyone’s patience while we work to improve the safety for the motorists.

See press release here.

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Hough Street (Route 59) Lane Reductions Begin Tomorrow

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Community Alerts, Real Estate, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on July 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“Beginning Monday, July 27, Hough Street (Route 59) will be reduced to one lane in each direction south of Northwest Highway as work begins on the next phase of the Route 14 underpass project. This stage includes construction of the culvert that will carry the relocated Flint Creek.

Traffic changes include:

  • The northbound left turn lane from Hough Street onto Route 14 will be temporarily shortened due to adjacent construction. Consider alternative routes to proceed westbound on Route 14 to avoid traffic delays.
  • Lions Drive at Hough Street will be temporarily closed. Barrington Park District visitors can still access Lions Drive from Route 14.

This is the first stage of Hough Street construction, and the temporary traffic pattern is expected to remain in place for at least one month. During this time, the contractor will also evaluate opportunities to complete additional work as part of this stage, which could increase the duration of these lane reductions.

A traffic map is attached and shown below. Drivers, please plan for delays and use caution when traveling through the area.

Stay updated on the Route 14 underpass project by visiting the dedicated project website at us14underpass.com and subscribing to receive email alerts.”

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