No Detours as Part of Willow Rd. Construction, Delays Expected
The widening of Willow Road in Northfield will start this spring, but will not include detours off the main artery to the Edens Expressway.
Willow Road
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Sunday, January 13, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
No Detours as Part of Willow Rd. Construction, Delays Expected
The widening of Willow Road in Northfield will start this spring, but will not include detours off the main artery to the Edens Expressway.
There will undoubtedly be congestion on the 1.2 miles of Willow Road slated to be widened to four lanes starting this spring, but there won't be detours off the main artery between Waukegan Road and I94, according to TribLocal. Northfield Village Manager Stacy Sigman is quoted in the article as saying that no detours are planned during the construction, which will start around April 1 and is scheduled to last until October 2014. Traffic will be shifted to temporary southern lanes while the northern lanes are worked on, and then the traffic will switch so the crews can work on the southern lanes, Sigman said. The $35 million project includes four 10-foot-wide lanes for most of its length, with a landscaped median, left-turn lanes, …
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Friday, April 20, 2012
With Some Raised Eyebrows, Residents Take Deeper Look at Willow Road Plans
Thursday's meetings offered IDOT officials the chance to explain the benefits of their proposed plans. Yet some nearby residents questioned the longevity of the plan's benefits.
Dozens of people from Northfield, Glenview, Northbrook and surrounding communities soaked up an in-depth look at the redesign of Willow Road at Thursday's public hearing at New Trier High School’s Northfield Campus. While Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials offered feedback and explanation, nearby residents still seemed skeptical. The plan would impact the congested artery from Waukegan Road to the Edens Expressway. With an estimated price tag of $29 million, the proposal includes four 10-foot-wide lanes for most of its length, with a landscaped median, left-turn lanes, modernized traffic signals and sidewalks along both sides. A pedestrian-only signal would allow people to stop traffic to cross Willow Road between …
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Tom Kloempken
2:22 pm on Friday, April 20, 2012
My THANKS to all who worked so hard and so long on this project even though many who live in the surrounding communities thought nothing would become of it since it has been in the mill for over 30 years. A special thanks goes to Mr. Peter Harmet from IDOT who has been a true professional and has the patience of saint during the numerous local hearings. I was very plesantly surprised at the … more ›
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Does IDOT Know What's Right for Willow Road?
This Thursday, residents are invited to attend a public meeting about the proposed changes to Willow Road, which include four lanes of traffic and a slower speed limit. IDOT officials will be available to answer questions.
The well-known Willow Road debate may be nearing an end soon, after IDOT officials presented their preferred plan last week. The next step, following public comment, is to put the project out to bid and begin construction. According to IDOT, construction could start next year in 2013. If you are curious about the fate of Willow Road, or perhaps have a strong opinion, stop by the meeting on Thursday at New Trier High School's Northfield campus from 5 to 8 p.m. Earlier: Willow Road Debate Continues This Week Here are some of the sentiments expressed earlier on Patch about Willow Road: This proposed expansion of 4/5 lanes should be rejected based on safety alone. However, the health of these people is just as important. The safety and health …
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Liberty
4:38 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
I live in Glen Oak Acres directly south of Willow Rd. in Glenview. My family have used the park, the outdoor ice rink, the baseball fields, and the field house. Traffic has increased exponentially on Willow between 41 and Waukegan Rd. I travel this stretch of the road frequently. It's dangerous traveling either east or west on Willow where it merges from two lanes to one. Some rude people don't … more ›
Monday, April 16, 2012
4 Lanes, 30 Mph Speed Limit Proposed For Willow Road in Northfield
Officials are seeking comment on the preferred plan for a hotly contested (and often congested) stretch of Willow Road in Northfield: two lanes of traffic in each direction and a slower speed limit. Public input meeting will be held this week.
After months of study, the Illinois Department of Transportation and a community advisory group believe they have come to a solution--or at least, a compromise--for the stretch of Willow Road in Northfield that has long been a bone of contention among surrounding communities. At a public meeting this Thursday, officials will gather input on the design the community group has settled on, which involves a complete reconstruction of a 1.2-mile strip of Willow Road in Northfield. The plan proposes widening the road to allow two lanes of traffic in each direction (where there is now just one each way) and reducing the speed by 5 mph, to 30 mph. Lanes would be capped at 10 feet wide, in order to calm traffic, and a median would be built to …
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Lee
12:21 pm on Monday, April 16, 2012
This was exactly my suggestion 2 years ago. Increase the number of lanes and lower the speed. Has anyone who is against widening Willow Road in this area ever seen an ambulance try to navigate during rush hour with only two lanes and a shoulder that is undrivable? Think about this the next time you need 911 service. Two lanes in both directions can help facilitate emergency response. more ›
Friday, April 6, 2012
Officials To Rework Development On Former Culligan Site
New additions to the mixed-use site plan may include rental apartments, a Mariano's grocery store, a daycare center and a fitness facility. A less than favorable economic climate prevented residential options from consideration initially, officials said.
The former Culligan site just off I-294 at Willow Road, now slated for a 40-acre total redevelopment plan, will see Astellas Pharma’s U.S. headquarters move in this spring, TribLocal reports. In addition to the pharmaceutical giant, the site will be anchored by Glenstar Properties, a commercial real estate company. Glenview trustees are now considering the inclusion of rental apartments, a preschool and an L.A. fitness, Triblocal reports. To do this, Glenview will need the go-ahead from Northbrook and Prospect Heights, amending the village’s current agreements with the Willow Road sharing municipalities. For the full story, including how developers intend to place ‘quality controls’ on rental clientele, click here.
Lorraine Apiecionek
10:55 am on Monday, July 16, 2012
Tryingto get the size of the land holding, purchase price and date. Thanks. Lorraine lapiecionek@rcn.com more ›
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Taking a Look Back: 200 Years of North Shore History
From local Olympic winners to the construction of a Willow Road retainer wall near Glenview and a cattle truck accident that left cows roaming north Skokie neighborhoods, a roundup of notable North Shore moments.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Willow Road Debate Continues, Northfield Has 'Change of Heart'
One Glenview resident sounds off on the expansion controversy.
Dear Glenview Patch Editor: At the last Willow Road Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting in late September, it seemed that Northfield stakeholders have had a noticeable "change-of-heart" regarding this project. The meeting focused on the Illinois Department of Transportation's proposed toolbox of safety characteristics that the new and improved Willow Road could feature, such as pedestrian countdown signals or curbed medians. Throughout the discussion of each tool, there seemed to be a shift in Northfield's long and loudly stated priority of safety, which we all want, towards an increasing concern about "cosmetics". I was surprised and a little bit confused that Northfield CAG members appeared to change their concerns to how the safety …
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Earl Weiss
3:13 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
>>Donald Whiteman 3:06pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011 According to IDOT's own data ..........the two lane with median option scored a higher safety rating than the four lane with median. In fact, it had the highest safety rating. The three lane, preferred option, was rated only slightly less safe than the two lane option, but it was rated higher than the four lane option. more ›
Friday, July 22, 2011
Willow Road Could See Roadwork by 2015
With recommendations on the table for two or four lanes, Willow Road may be ready for the next step.
Officials and residents from four North Shore suburbs butted heads over a 1.2-mile stretch of road during Thursday night's meeting at New Trier Township High School in Northfield. The issue could see a resolution within the next year and a green light within the next four years. Since 2009 the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has studied two miles of Willow Road, from Waukegan Road to Interstate Highway 94, to give reports on traffic flow, preliminary engineering and the environment. Earlier: Patch's story on Willow Road from September 2010 Throughout the course of the study, a state-mandated Community Advisory Group (CAG) made up of 18 community leaders and residents from Northfield as well as seven from Glenview, Northbrook …
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Ed60062
11:48 am on Wednesday, July 27, 2011
It is already a two lane road. Adding a median (which I assume will be a left turn lane) will not help because most traffic during rush hour is through-traffic. The bottlenecks are mainly at the stop lights--and there are already left turn lanes at all of the major intersections in Northfield. The only solution to traffic flow is four lanes; however, it might help to re-time the traffic signals … more ›
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Patch On Wheels: Coverage of Willow Road Project
Check out recent coverage of the road construction project that impacts several neighborhoods.
Willow Road construction has become a familar issue in town. Check out our reporting on the project.
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Billy Bob Shapiro
4:26 pm on Sunday, January 13, 2013
That area of Willow Rd has always been a speed trap for Northfield. The village has tried to keep traffic away by writing tickets for a few miles over and keeping the lights mis-timed. This has gone on for years and the state has said nothing. Now they will get away with lowering the speed limit, just to prove a point. Take Dundee Rd. It's quicker and the shop owners in Northbrook are nicer. If … more ›