Briefs: Work starts on Route 47

Relief is on its way for motorists who use Route 47. Two developers, Tucker Development Corp. and Rubloff Development Group, will add another lane on a one-mile stretch of the congested thoroughfare this summer. Drivers should expect some lane closures as the developers widen Route 47 from Kreutzer Road to Del Webb Boulevard, Huntley officials said. The developers agreed to widen Route 47 as part of their development agreements with the village. Rubloff developed the plaza south of Powers Road anchored by The Home Depot, while Tucker is developing the center at Kreutzer that will include Wal-Mart.

New Huff principal named

At Monday's Elgin Area School District U-46 board meeting, a new principal for Elgin's Huff Elementary was named. Angelica Ernst, formerly a bilingual literacy support teacher at Parkwood Elementary in Hanover Park, will replace Shawn Smith, who is heading to Chicago Public Schools.

Villa Olivia delayed

Elgin's latest review of a controversial plan to redevelop the Villa Olivia golf course off Route 20 with 96 single-family homes and 279 townhomes has been pushed back to Sept. 24. Attorneys for Ryland Homes, which hopes to develop the 139-acre site, recently requested the new date. It was up for review Wednesday. A judge has ruled the golf course may leave Bartlett, but also upheld a covenant forbidding residential redevelopment of 98 acres of the site until 2022. Both sides have appealed. A decision from the appellate court is not expected for 12 to 18 months, and it could wipe out whatever Elgin officials decide.