CATS SRING PRESS CONFERENCE PREPARES REGION FOR 2002 CONSTRUCTION SEASON
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) hosted its second annual Spring Construction and Transit Press Conference on Wednesday, February 27, at CATS headquarters, 300 W. Adams, Chicago. Representatives from the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) and Pace provided information regarding upcoming Chicago and suburban construction projects, interagency construction coordination, and tips for coping with construction.
Batavia Mayor Jeffery Schielke, chairman of the executive committee of the CATS Council of Mayors and vice chairman of the CATS Policy Committee, served as emcee. The American Automobile Association (AAA) Chicago Motor Club co-sponsored the event.
Following is a brief summary of information provided by agency representatives regarding spring 2002 construction projects to be undertaken in the Chicagoland area:
· John Tomczyk, senior project director for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), said the $200 million Wacker Drive reconstruction project is expected to be completed by November. By late spring north-south traffic is expected to be able to flow along the intersections of Wacker at Clark and Franklin streets, which were closed for reconstruction in January. LaSalle Street is the recommended north-south alternate route; Washington and Randolph streets are recommended for east-west travel.
Shoulder and lane closures will occur along South Lake Shore Drive as a $162 million reconstruction project gets underway. Construction will take place from McCormick Place to 67th Street. The project is scheduled for completion by 2005.
Major resurfacing and reconstruction projects will get underway on Halsted Street from Maxwell Street to the Kennedy Expressway; 69th Street from State Street to South Chicago Avenue; and Division Street from Cleveland Avenue to the Kennedy Expressway.
Overpasses will be reconstructed on the Dan Ryan Expressway at 31st, 39th and 83rd streets; on the Kennedy at Milwaukee Avenue, Ainsley Street, Jackson Boulevard and Natoma Street; and on I-57 at Wentworth.
· Jack Hartman, executive vice-president of construction, engineering and facilities for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), said the $482 million renovation of the Blue Line Cermak-Douglas Branch begun last year will continue. The project will include replacing five miles of track, rebuilding eight station houses, upgrading signal systems and making the branch accessible to customers with disabilities. The project is slated for completion by 2005.
Overhead wires on the Yellow Line, also known as the Skokie Swift, will be replaced by a more reliable third rail. Unlike wires, rails won’t freeze during harsh winters. The upgrade, which will also allow rail cars from other CTA lines to provide service in the event of a breakdown, is scheduled to be completed in 2003.
All 26 CTA grade-level rail crossings will have their gate mechanisms and electronics replaced.
· Clarita Lao, engineer of planning and programming for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA), provided information about the 15-mile Northwest Tollway and Bridge Rehab Project. All lanes in both directions on the Northwest Tollway between the Kennedy Expressway and Barrington Road will be rehabbed. In addition, repairs will be made to bridge substructures, and bridge seats at bridges carrying I-90 westbound over the Northwest Tollway will be cleaned and sealed.
Three lanes of traffic will be maintained during peak travel times through use of a crossover lane. Construction of the crossover lane will require a lane closure in each direction from Meacham Road to Golf Road for a two-week period during the early phase of the project. Turnouts will be available every 5,000 feet for emergency stopping. Traffic entering the crossover lane will be in an express lane with no access to exits at Elmhurst and Arlington Heights roads.
Nighttime lane closures will take place from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Occasional weekend closures will be posted in advance and will take place between 11 p.m. on Friday and 5 a.m. Monday. The majority of the work will be completed by August 30; the entire project is scheduled for completion in December 2002.
Construction of truck I-Pass Only (IPO) lanes will take place from March to June. New truck IPO lanes will be created at Plaza 21 (Waukegan) and Plaza 29 (Touhy) on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), and Plaza 17 (Devon) on the Northwest Tollway. Lane closures will occur while the new IPO lanes are being converted.
· Dirk Fuqua, engineer of operations for the Illinois Department of Transportation, provided information about upcoming projects in IDOT District One, which includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
The agency will begin a variety of projects this spring as part of a $3.8 billion road construction and maintenance initiative for the Chicago area that is being funded in part by Governor George H. Ryan’s Illinois First program.
A major interchange reconstruction near the Chinatown neighborhood began in January. The project includes pavement reconstruction on Franklin from Cermak Road to the Dan Ryan Expressway; rehabilitation of seven bridges; and reconstructing ramps between the Dan Ryan and Stevenson expressways. The project is scheduled for completion by late October.
Interchange reconstruction is also on the agenda for the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) at the Tri-State Tollway (I-294). The project will include reconstruction of five ramps and replacing and widening two bridges. Work will begin on March 15; construction is expected to be completed by October 31.
Preliminary work on a two-year rehabilitation of I-57 from the Dan Ryan (I-90/94) to I-80 will commence on March 18, with mainline lane closures beginning on March 23. Work on the southbound section of I-57 will take place during 2002; work will begin on the northbound section next year. Construction is expected to have an impact on travel to Chicago Bears training camp and regular season games.
· Blaine Krage, public relations specialist for Pace Suburban Bus Service, provided information about Pace routes that can serve as alternatives to roads undergoing construction. Complete information about Pace routes and schedules can be obtained by visiting www.pacebus.com.
· Norma Cooper, manager of community affairs for AAA Chicago Motor Club, offered tips for getting through this year’s road construction season safely and stress-free. Her suggestions include:
° Pay attention to the road;
° Don’t eat, use cell phones or engage in any other distracting activities while driving;
° Don’t tailgate;
° Obey road signs;
° Plan ahead;
° Be patient;
° Leave extra time for travel.
The Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for northeastern Illinois, designated by state and local officials to administer the urban transportation planning process for the region. The area serviced by CATS includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, plus a portion of Kendall County.