Cook County to spend $38 million on summer road construction projects

Cook County will spend about $38 million on road construction projects in 28 suburbs throughout Cook County this spring and summer, officials announced Wednesday.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called the repairs “long-needed” in a statement Wednesday announcing the highlights of the county’s annual road repair program.

“Our road program this year addresses both completion of ongoing major projects and bringing roads and bridges throughout the county up to standard,” Preckwinkle said.

Major projects include finishing the reconstruction of a two-mile stretch of Crawford Road between Devon Avenue in Lincolnwood and Oakton Street in Skokie.

The work began in 2014. When completed, it will deliver improved drainage and better sidewalk and driveway access for nearby residents, according to county officials.

The county also plans on reconstruction of Center Street, a trucking gateway to a large CN Railroad intermodal facility, in south suburban Harvey that has seen chronic flooding problems.

In northwest suburban Schaumburg, crews will replace the Roselle Road bridge deck over the Jane Addams Tollway and improve traffic signals.

Joe Orr Road in south suburban Lynwood will be extended one mile east from Torrence to Burnham avenues. And in west suburban Elmhurst, workers will rehab concrete pavement along Hintz Road and make repairs to a bridge over Ecko Lake.

Other repaving projects are planned for Busse Road in Mount Prospect, Winnetka Road in Northfield, Kedzie Avenue in Homewood and Sauk Trail in Richton Park, among others.Bridge repair projects are coming to Wheeling, Palos Hills, Tinley Park and Glenwood.

The county will also continue developing its Long Range Transportation Program, which Preckwinkle described as a road map for prioritizing projects in order to meets residents’ transportation needs.