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16 | October 18, 2018 | The New Lenox Patriot NEWS<br />
newlenoxpatriot.com<br />
Pictured are (left to right) Will County Board Member Mike Fricilone, Illinois Gov. Bruce<br />
Rauner, County Board Member Steve Balich, County Board Member Annette Parker<br />
and County Board Member Gloria Dollinger at the site near I-80 and Route 30, where<br />
construction will occur. Photo Submitted<br />
Construction starts on<br />
interchange at I-80 and U.S. 30<br />
Project will improve<br />
safety, reduce<br />
congestion in <strong>NL</strong>,<br />
county as a whole<br />
Submitted by Will County<br />
Board<br />
Will County Board members<br />
joined Gov. Bruce<br />
Rauner, Illinois Transportation<br />
Secretary Randy Blankenhorn,<br />
and New Lenox<br />
Mayor Tim Balderman this<br />
week to begin the process of<br />
rebuilding the interchange at<br />
U.S. 30 and Interstate 80 in<br />
New Lenox. The rebuilding<br />
project is a major component<br />
of the Freight Mobility<br />
plan that the County Board<br />
drafted last year and is now<br />
implementing.<br />
“Will County is home to<br />
the largest inland port in<br />
North America,” said County<br />
Board Member Mike Fricilone.<br />
“It is critical that we<br />
maintain and improve our<br />
infrastructure to continue the<br />
quality of life that the residents<br />
in Will County expect<br />
and deserve.”<br />
Fricilone said that the Will<br />
County Board has worked<br />
hard to keep their Community<br />
Friendly Freight Mobility<br />
Plan on the front burner<br />
at both the federal and state<br />
levels. The County Board has<br />
had several meetings with<br />
the Governor’s office over<br />
the last few months to impress<br />
upon the administration<br />
the critical need facing Will<br />
County infrastructure.<br />
With the County Board’s<br />
Freight Study undergirding<br />
their request, the State of Illinois<br />
awarded grant money<br />
to Will County and the Village<br />
of New Lenox to complete<br />
the project. The total<br />
amount granted to rebuild<br />
the busy interchange is $47<br />
million.<br />
“There is no question that<br />
Will County has seen tremendous<br />
growth over the<br />
last few decades in both<br />
population and in jobs,” said<br />
Will County Board Member<br />
Annette Parker. “The infrastructure<br />
in Will County<br />
needs to be updated for modern<br />
times and the County<br />
Board will continue to push<br />
for funding to implement our<br />
Community Friendly Freight<br />
Mobility Plan.”<br />
When construction is<br />
completed, the U.S. 30 interchange<br />
ramps will be better<br />
aligned to accommodate<br />
traffic volumes. U.S. 30 will<br />
also be rebuilt through the<br />
interchange with traffic signal<br />
and drainage improvements.<br />
The bicycle and pedestrian<br />
path along U.S. 30<br />
will also be extended.<br />
As part of the project, a<br />
lane will be added to I-80 in<br />
both directions from I-355<br />
through the U.S. 30 interchange.<br />
The I-80 bridges<br />
over U.S. 30 and the Metra<br />
Rock Island District Line and<br />
Hickory Creek will also be<br />
rebuilt.<br />
Pre-construction will run<br />
through the fall and winter<br />
with construction on the<br />
interchange starting in the<br />
spring of 2019. The project<br />
is expected to be completed<br />
in late 2021.
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