Learn more about Lakeview Parkway project at open house
Roadwork season is about to get started in a big way in Vernon Hills with the widening and resurfacing of Lakeview Parkway north and south of Route 60.
Trees and shrubs are being removed in advance of the $6.7 million project expected to begin in early May and continue through the end of November.
Business owners and residents are invited to an informational open house regarding the project from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Vernon Hills Park District Sullivan Center, 635 Aspen Drive.
Lakeview Parkway is a well-traveled route through business/commercial districts west and south of Hawthorn Mall. It intersects with Route 60, which carries about 28,400 vehicles a day and also will be affected at times.
Lakewood will be widened to add another through lane from just north of Hawthorn Parkway across Route 60 to Phillip Road. Lakeview from that point to Fairway Drive will be resurfaced.
All the roads experience backups at closely spaced intersections, particularly during morning and evening rushes.
A dedicated eastbound left-turn lane on Hawthorn Parkway at Lakeview and another left-turn lane on northbound Lakeview at Hawthorn Parkway will be built.
Among the other work:
• A new storm sewer will be installed.
• Traffic signals will be replaced.
• Streetlights will be upgraded to LEDs.
• 1,800 feet of bike path will be rebuilt.
• 400 feet of new sidewalk will be installed.
Although it contains several elements, the long-planned project between Center Drive south to Phillip Road is medium-sized and straightforward, according to Brian J. Carroll, senior resident engineer for Civiltech Engineering of Itasca, which is overseeing the project.
During construction, Lakeview will be reduced to one lane in each direction, and one left-turn lane on each leg of the intersections will remain open. Work could be done six days per week as activity dictates, and there may be occasional overnight work.
Other elements include:
• Lengthening the westbound right-turn lane on Route 60.
• Extending the taper for the eastbound dual left-turn lanes on Route 60 to Lakeview.
• Replacing a path and sidewalk on the west side of Lakeview and installing a new sidewalk on the east side from Route 60 to Hawthorn Parkway.
• Planting 80 trees.
There will be impacts to Route 60 such as installing a temporary signal and removing existing traffic signal equipment and two raised islands at the intersection.
Also, one of the eastbound left-turn lanes on Route 60 will be closed to work on the median to the west of Lakeview. The westbound right-turn lane will be closed for sewer, curb and road work along Route 60, according to Carroll.
Dates will be posted when available at vhlakeview.com, a dedicated webpage for the project.
The village is responsible for little more than $2 million of the total project cost, with the rest coming from state and federal sources.