Traffic on Illinois Route 47 has been shifted onto new pavement and a new bridge over the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) in time for the evening rush hour today, as part of the Illinois Tollway’s Illinois Route 47 Interchange Project in Huntley. The work on Illinois Route 47 is underway to prepare for construction of a new all-electronic interchange.
“Completion of what will become the new southbound lanes and bridge on Illinois Route 47 is a great sign of progress for this important interchange project,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in a written press statement.. “Not only will this project improve access for Tollway customers traveling to and from Huntley, it will also offer opportunities for new jobs and economic development in the area.”
With completion of the traffic shift from Del Webb Boulevard to Big Timber Road, the Illinois Tollway will be able to begin work this winter to demolish the old bridge and roadway pavement and begin construction of a new bridge that will carry northbound Illinois Route 47 traffic when the new interchange opens in 2013. In addition to building the new bridge structures, the project also includes the reconstruction and widening of 1.5 miles of Illinois Route 47 from Big Timber Road to north of Jim Dhamer Drive and Freeman Road.
A work zone will be put in place on Illinois Route 47 and local traffic will continue to have one lane open in both directions on the new southbound bridge during construction. Existing ramps providing access for drivers traveling to and from the east on I-90 will remain open to provide access throughout the project.
About the Illinois Route 47 Interchange Project
The Illinois Route 47 Interchange Project includes construction of six new ramps with all-electronic toll plazas, reconstruction of the bridge carrying Illinois Route 47 over I-90, as well as local traffic signal installation and lighting improvements to provide full access between I-90 and Illinois Route 47.
The $61 million project is being built in partnership with the Village of Huntley, Kane County, McHenry County and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) as part of the Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. The interchange is scheduled to be completed in 2013.
Building Green
The project features several new green construction initiatives, including a geothermal water piping system that makes use of the earth’s natural heating and cooling abilities to help heat and cool nearby plaza buildings in a more cost-effective and sustainable manner, reflective roofs and trellised vegetation for plaza buildings to further reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as ramp shoulder pavement that will allow water to seep through and reduce stormwater runoffstormwater runoff.
Getting Tollway Construction Information
The Illinois Tollway has a variety of ways customers can get the latest construction and roadway information, including:
- www.illinoistollway.com – Construction/Planning section and Tollway Trip Calculator
- 1-800-TOLL-FYI – Daily lane closure information
- www.travelmidwest.com – Real-time travel times
- www.nbcchicago.com – Up-to-the-minute traffic by roadway
- www.twitter.com – Real-time roadway incident information at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355 and Tollway Trip 94/294
