Walkup Road Construction Update

Here’s what is happening on the Walkup Road construction:

South Section:

Pavement Striping of the lanes to the new (temporary) configuration for the winter months continues today.  Landscaping and cleanup will continue and be completed by 12/21/2012.

North Section:

Pavement Striping of the lanes to the new (temporary) configuration for the winter months continues today.  Landscaping and cleanup will continue and be completed by 12/21/2012.

Walkup Road Work

North Leg:
Landscape restoration will continue into next week.  Foundations were poured Friday  for the traffic signal equipment to be installed at the intersection of Mason Hill Road and Crystal Lake Road.

South Leg:
Pavement striping was delayed Friday due to wet weather conditions. Striping will be completed Saturday 12/08 or Monday 12/10 weather permitting. Landscape restoration is scheduled to occur next week.

Walkup Road Work Continues

North Leg: 
Profile grinding to level the pavement will be completed Wednesday 11/28 in the morning.  On Wednesday afternoon, primecoat (oil) will be placed on Crystal Lake Avenue from Anvil Road to the north end of the project in preparation for Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) placement that is scheduled to begin Thursday 11/29.  Pavement striping for the winter will follow once HMA placement is complete.  Final landscape restoration will be completed following the asphalt placement.

South Leg:

Work will continue on the retaining wall along Walkup Road by Veteran Acres with completion scheduled for late next week.  Curb placement is scheduled for Thursday 11/29 along Walkup Road from south of Crystal Ridge Drive and on IL Route 176 west of the Walkup Road/IL Route 176 intersection.  Paving of this area will begin late next week.  Also next week, paving will occur on the southbound lanes of Walkup Road from Talismon Drive to Burning Bush Trail. 

Walkup Road Construction Update

North Leg:

Curb installation has been completed and backfilling has started.  Asphalt widening placement will start next week, followed by pavement profile grinding to level the surface in anticipation of binder placement across the entire roadway shortly after Thanksgiving.  Landscape restoration will follow the asphalt work.

South Leg:

Storm sewer work continues on IL Rte 176 and Walkup at the Northwest corner.  Fine grading and stone base placement from Burning Bush Trail to Talismon Drive has started.  Curb placement is scheduled for next week.  Curb placement will be followed by asphalt placement.  The wall along Veteran Acres is proceeding w/ the concrete facing being placed.

Please be alert and watch for workers and equipment 

Walkup Road Work Progress

The work on both the north and south legs of the project will continue through approximately Thanksgiving.  The schedule is to have all of the widening installed and binder course placed for the winter.  The surface course, striping and any remaining landscaping would be completed next year.

North Leg – The storm sewer installation will continue into next week, earth excavation will re-start on Friday 10/26/12, to be followed by subgrade preparation and stone placement.  Landscaping of the east side should be completed next week.  There will be multiple daily lane closures in the work zone, operations are occurring simultaneously.  Please be patient and watch for construction workers.

South Leg – A new traffic pattern from Talismon to Burning Bush on Walkup Road North of IL 176 was established this week.  The remaining pavement is being removed this week.  Next week storm sewer, earth excavation and subgrade preparation will continue. 

Work continues on the retaining wall along IL 176 in front of the shopping complex and along Walkup in front of Veteran Acres, with completion scheduled late next week.    Final grading of the stone base along IL 176 will begin Friday with asphalt to be placed along IL 176 and to the immediate north on Walkup next week. Driveway placement along IL 176 should be completed next week.  Expect a new traffic pattern on Walkup immediately north of IL 176 within the next couple of weeks.

Also, the Illinois Department of Transportation requires the temporary traffic signal at IL 176 and Main Street to be removed on Friday October 26th.  The City of Crystal Lake is performing a study in an effort to gain approval for a permanent intersection improvement in the future. 

Please be patient with any delays, watch for workers and equipment, and no cell phone use allowed in the work zones.

Walkup Road Work Update

Sod is being placed along many of the driveways at the northern limits and work has started on the surface placement on driveways.  Traffic is being shifted from Raintree Drive south onto the recently placed asphalt.  Earth excavation and storm sewer installation will continue next week in preparation for the stone and curb placement.

South section:

Asphalt is being placed from Talismon Drive to Burning Bush in anticipation of the traffic lane shifting scheduled for early next week.

Work continues on the retaining wall being constructed along Veteran Acres park with the first concrete placement expected late next week.  The retaining wall along IL 176 in front of the shopping center is also progressing and should be completed late next week.  Backfill placement and final grading for stone placement will then follow.

On the east leg on IL 176 new curb will be poured on Monday 10/22 with asphalt placement scheduled for mid-week next week.  This will then allow lane shifting on the north leg of Walkup in the coming weeks.

As always please drive carefully, slow down, watch for workers, and remember cell phone use is prohibited in construction zones.

And The Beat Goes On ---

North Section Walkup Road—
Early this coming week, traffic will be shifted to the newly placed asphalt lane.
Topsoil, seed, and erosion blanket placement has begun in the right-of-way.
Earth excavation has begun in South Section

South Section Walkup Road ---

On Illinois Route 176, stone base placement has begun in preparation for curb installation. Work continues on the retaining wall in front of the shopping complex west of Walkup on Route 176.
On Walkup Road, stone base placement has begun in preparation for asphalt placement next week.

Walkup Road Progress

SOUTH SECTION:

Walkup Road (south of IL 176 to Woodstock Street) now open to thru traffic.

 NORTH SECTION

The preparation work for the roadway widening continues.  The contractor is placing stone and curb this coming week now that the underground work is complete. The schedule is for the pavement widening to be completed this fall. 

Heads Up'! Walkip Road Construction Information

Weather Dependent, the following is planned:

9/17/2012   AM  - Traffic along IL 176 at Walkup Road will be switching to new pavement.

First, Second, and Third Street will also OPEN.

Please use caution when traveling through this area.

Illinois 176 And Walkup Road Alert

Expect delays tomorrow 9/13 mid-morning along IL 176 at Walkup Road due to paving operations.

Update On Walkup Road Project

South section:
Paving of the intersection of IL 176 and Walkup will continue into next week. 

This will be followed by grading of the areas behind the curb, installation of sidewalks where possible, and landscaping of the ground.  Walkup Road (Railroad Tracks to IL Route 176) is scheduled to REOPEN on Friday, September 21st. 

Staging of the traffic on IL 176 will move to the new pavement soon so work can start on the north side of the road. 

Please be alert and watch for information on the website and the message boards in the work zone. 

Work continues on the new retaining wall along Veteran Acres park.   The contractor is prepping the area to the north of the wall and will soon start placing the stone base in preparation for asphalt along Walkup.
 North section:
Storm sewer installations are nearing completion for this stage.  The contractor has graded the north end and is anticipated to start placing the stone base next week.  This will be followed closely with the installation of the curb and then asphalt will be installed.

As always, please drive alertly through the work zones, watch for workers, and remember cell phone use is prohibited.

WALKUP ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Beginning at 7:00 am Thursday there will be no access to IL Route 176 from 1^st, 2^nd , or 3^rd Streets due to asphalt roadway paving. 

This will continue until approximately 9/21/2012.

Walkup Road and Main Street - One Lane

Route 176 down to 1 lane between Walkup Rd and Main St due to emergency water main repair.

Road open to EB & WB traffic with a flagger, but expect delays. Work anticipated to be completed by ~ 7pm.

Construction For Walkup Road

Segment 2 (Intersection)

Utility relocation work continues.

Water main installation work resumes today.

Seeding of Veteran Acres Pond and wetland cell scheduled for the middle of next week.

Traffic lane shifting on hold pending utility relocation.

Segment 3 (North Section)

Earth excavation to begin pending utility relocation completion.

Walkup Road Work Continues

Mother Nature has not been kind toward the Walkup Road work.

The wet weather and continued utility relocation has extended activities into next week. These include:

For Segment 2 (intersection)

Utility relocation work continues.  Water main installation to resume next week.

Seeding of Veteran Acres Pond and wetland cell to occur when water levels recede.

Watch for traffic lane shift on northbound Walkup Road from IL Route 176 to Talismon Drive, estimated to occur late next week. This traffic lane shifting will allow for installation of storm sewer and retaining wall construction.

For Segment 3 ( North Section )

Topsoil removal operation will continue into next week

Earth Excavation to begin following top soil removal.

Walkup Road Construction Information Meeting--March 1

The McHenry County Division of Transportation (MCDOT) is announcing that a construction information meeting will be held on Thursday, March 1, 2012 to outline the roadway construction project in greater detail and inform local residents and business owners of the construction schedule, plans, and how they can stay informed during the project.

The meeting will begin with a brief overview of the project followed by a question and answer session.  Attendees will be able to view the project plans and speak directly to MCDOT staff and the County’s consultant team that will be on-site throughout the duration of the project.

WHEN:   Thursday, March 1, 2012

                6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

WHERE   City of Crystal Lake – Council Chambers

100 Woodstock Street

Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Roadway construction will begin this spring on improvements to the intersection of Walkup Road at Illinois Route 176 and roadway widening from Crystal Springs Road to Bull Valley Road. The upcoming improvements will address congestion and safety along the Walkup Road corridor and at the Illinois Route 176 intersection. Improvements will include:

Roadway widening, resurfacing and reconstruction

Traffic signal upgrades at the intersection of Illinois Route 176

New traffic signals installed at Mason Hill Road

Completion of the bike path connection from Illinois Route 176 to Veteran Acres Park and the bike path constructed as part of Segment 1 in 2011

To obtain the latest project information

Visit the project website at: www.walkuproad.com

Connect with us on Facebook:  http://facebook.com/walkupconstruct

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/walkupconstruct

Walkup Road Construction Information Meeting -- March 1

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Location: City of Crystal Lake Council Chambers

100 Woodstock Street

Crystal Lake

A construction information meeting will be held Thursday, March 1 to outline the roadway construction project in greater detail. At the same time, this is an opportunity to inform local residents and business owners of the construction schedule, plans and how they can stay informed during the project.

The meeting will begin with a brief overview of the project followed by a question and answer session.  Attendees will be able to view the project plans and speak directly to MCDOT staff and the County’s consultant team that will be on-site throughout the duration of the project.

Roadway construction will begin this spring on improvements to the intersection of Walkup Road at Illinois Route 176 and roadway widening from Crystal Springs Road to Bull Valley Road. The upcoming improvements will address congestion and safety along the Walkup Road corridor and at the Illinois Route 176 intersection. Improvements will include:

• Roadway widening, resurfacing and reconstruction
• Traffic signal upgrades at the intersection of Illinois Route 176
• New traffic signals installed at Mason Hill Road
• Completion of the bike path connection from Illinois Route 176 to Veteran Acres Park and the bike path constructed as part of Segment 1 in 2011 

 To obtain the latest project information

Visit the project website at: www.walkuproad.com

Connect with us on FaceBook:  http://facebook.com/walkupconstruct

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/walkupconstruct

Walkup Road Improvements Continue Through 2012

The McHenry County Division of Transportation is announcing that roadway construction will begin this Spring on improvements to Walkup Road.   This project was separated into three segments.  Segment 1 was completed in 2011 and segments 2 and 3 will start in 2012 and are anticipated to be open to traffic by November 2012.  All work is anticipated to be completed in the Spring of 2013.

Segment 2 is the intersection of Walkup Road at Illinois Route 176.  Segment 3 is from Crystal Springs Road to Bull Valley Road.  The first segment, now completed, was from Live Oak Road to Crystal Springs Road.

The upcoming improvements for Segments 2 and 3 will address congestion and safety along the Walkup Road corridor and at the Illinois Route 176 intersection.  Improvements will include:

• Roadway widening, resurfacing and reconstruction
• Traffic signal upgrades at the intersection of Illinois Route 176
• New traffic signals installed at Mason Hill Road
• Completion of the bike path connection from Illinois Route 176 to Veteran Acres Park and the bike path constructed as part of Segment 1 in 2011

 This approximately $11,000,000 improvement project is being funded in part by the Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program.  Local funding is also being used from the City of Crystal Lake, the McHenry County Division of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Utility relocation work is underway now and will increase as spring approaches.

A construction informational meeting will be held this Spring to outline the project in greater detail and inform local residents and business owners of the construction schedule, plans, and how they can stay informed during construction.

Visit the project website at www.walkuproad.com, connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/walkupconstruct or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/walkupconstruct to obtain the latest project information.

Citizens Express Ideas About Government

NOTE: The following is information received from the group, Fleming Road Alliance (FRA). Including this information does not mean the Town Crier agrees or disagrees with with group.The Town Crier merely provides the information for public consumption.

                                                                               - - - - - - -

"The members of the Fleming Road Alliance (FRA) Express Their Opinion That McHenry County Division of Transportation Is Not Responsive To The People They Serve

"The FRA position is that Fleming Road must stay in the same footprint as it is now, with no widening, no straightening, no leveling, no turn lanes, no curbs-and-gutters, no wide shoulders, no drainage ditches, no walls, and it is important to save the trees.

 

"We want safe roads for the residents as well as the motoring public. We believe that McDOT can design safe roads that are attractive.

"The federal government has developed guidelines for Context Sensitive Solutions and Designs for roadways that emphasize creating and maintaining roads that: are attractive, are community oriented, highlight historic and scenic features, and make driving on them a pleasurable experience.

"We residents have chosen to live here for the peace and beauty of the area. It is important that the rural and local nature of Fleming Road be preserved - the hills, the curves, the unobtrusive shoulders, and the trees– for the residents as well as the county at large.

"At the August Citizens Advisory Group meeting that MCDOT and TranSystems Engineering Company held with stakeholders of Fleming Road , McDOT announced that they intended to remove only 230 trees. This is unacceptable because seeing the trees is a reminder of what they do for the people and the environment. The Land Conservancy has informed us that Fleming Road travels through one of the last and largest concentrations of remnant oak and hickory woodlands in McHenry County; many 200 to 250 year-old trees are within 10 to 20 feet of the pavement; McDOT eliminated some trees from the survey and thus some trees are scheduled to be removed that are not included in the 230; and the rebuild will kill many more trees due to root damage.

 

"A member of the County Board Transportation Committee stated at a committee meeting that she was concerned that residents on Fleming Road were spinning conspiracy theories. The members of the FRA do not think that anyone in the McHenry County government or the Division of Transportation has a personal vendetta against the residents of Fleming Road. We would guess that the Division of Transportation would say, “This is not personal, this is business.” And that is what concerns us….. the way the Division of Transportation does business.

"Our uneasiness about how McDOT conducts business has been heightened by observing how they have done business with property owners on Walkup Avenue in Crystal Lake and Alden Road in Alden Township. If you go to YouTube.com and search for Fleming Road Alliance and then “McHenry County Transp Comm Mtg 102010 Public Comment Walk Up Road,” you can watch a video of a resident making a public comment at the Oct. 20 meeting of McH County Transportation Committee describing how McDOT treated him: Or click on the following site:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FlemingRoadAlliance#p/u/13/wER18HSWGT8

"Then if you search for  

“Fleming Road Alliance Nov 17 2010 Transp Com discusses Walk Up Rd Access Issue”: or click on the following site:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FlemingRoadAlliance#p/u/2/0dhjcO4FvjQ

you will watch McHenry County Board member and Transportation Committee member Scott Breeden propose that the County should help the man who made the complaint at the Oct. 20 meeting. Breeden said in part, “If it’s going to cost the County $3,000.00 to improve that entrance to make an individual whole with regards to his property I think that’s money well spent.” Listen to the response of JosephKorpalski, Head of the McHenry County Division of Transportation, Walter Dittrich, Design Manager, and other members of the Transportation Committee.

"After watching the videos cited above and talking to residents of Alden Road who live along the bridge that was just rebuilt, it appears that the McHenry County Division of Transportation is not being held accountable to the people for whom they work. We are appealing to the members of the McHenry County Board to review the policies and procedures of the Division of Transportation.

"For more information, to join our FRA e-mail list,and to sign our petition, please contact us at

flemingroadalliance@gmail.com"