Orchard Road Widening to Begin Tuesday

For years, travelers along Orchard Road near Montgomery have been wondering just when the two-lane section of the street would be widened. This week they got their answer: construction on the long-awaited project begins Tuesday.

As commuters know, Orchard Road dips from four lanes to two just south of Jericho Road, and doesn’t widen up again until just north of Route 30. Kane County owns that stretch of road, but because federal and state funds will be used to complete the project, the Illinois Department of Transportation is in charge of the widening.

The project was initially expected to cost north of $18 million, but the still-faltering economy led to 12 hungry contractors bidding for the job. The contract, which IDOT awarded last month, went to Plote Construction Inc. of Hoffman Estates, who will do the work for $9.2 million.

According to Paul Holcomb, project manager with the Kane County Division of Transportation, the entire project should be completed by summer 2012. Two lanes are expected to be finished in 2011, with the other two set for next year.

This means that traffic could get even more snarled at that location, at least temporarily. In fact, once paving work begins, traffic could be reduced to one lane through that section of Montgomery, according to village officials, who urge drivers to find another way to get where they’re going once the project gets rolling.

Once it’s finished, however, officials say, traffic congestion should be eased considerably along Orchard, which will help not only drivers, but also the businesses along that stretch of road.

The project also includes a bike path, to be built along the west side of Orchard, and new traffic signals at Aucutt Road and Rochester Drive. The widening will be paid for with $3.7 million in federal funds, $233,400 in state funds, and $5.3 million from Kane County.

Signs are up informing drivers that the work is set to begin Tuesday.