Please Help, Swami,
Every morning and afternoon I drive on Sunset Avenue between Delany Road and Green Bay Road. Construction has been going on for two years and it seems the road is only getting worse. Can you please look into your crystal ball and let us know when those workers are going to finish the job?
Waiting in Waukegan,
Dear Waiting,
The Swami shares in your angst, having made the trip through the Neverending Road Project far too many times. The most fascinating thing about it is how they change the route and the roadside obstacles every other week, as if trying to win a public art contest.
In fact, you might have noticed that they put down some beautiful new sod on the north side of Sunset in recent weeks, even while the roadway itself is still in therapy. Kind of like putting a bonnet on a hippo.
Anyway, on to your question: Let us peer into the ball of crystal and see when this reconstruction and widening of Sunset between Delany and Green Bay (the road, not the city in Wisconsin) will be complete ...
Hmmm ... it's not perfectly clear, but let's put it this way -- helping to cut the ribbon is a Democratic presidential candidate named Chelsea Clinton ...
The Sunset Avenue reconstruction/ widening project between Delany Rd. & Green Bay Rd. (IL131) is currently over 50% complete. Construction started on 7/13/07 for this 4.2 million dollar project to provide 2 thru lanes in each direction plus center turn lanes or median. Completion is anticipated for the end of August, dependant on weather and other factors beyond the Contractor’s control. Several traffic stages are necessary to complete the work, however no complete closures are necessary. There are some daytime lane reductions but in general at least one lane in each direction is open for the duration of the project. LCDOT does appreciate the public’s patience and thinks that the drivers will enjoy the results of additional lanes for many years to come.
There was a separate intersection project at Delany & Sunset that ended in 2007 which was also part of this corridor’s traffic flow improvement. Information updates about this and other Lake County Division of Transportation construction projects can be found at lakegov.info/roadwork