Improvements to Peace Road near Fairview Drive in DeKalb expected to start this fall

DeKALB – The city of DeKalb is embarking on a $3.5 million project to widen and reconstruct the Peace Road corridor as it nears Fairview Drive.

At a recent City Council meeting, DeKalb city leaders voted 6-0 to move ahead with construction plans this fall. Second Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson and Fourth Ward Alderman Greg Perkins were absent.

City officials said that widening Peace Road to two lanes in each direction from the westbound Interstate 88 Tollway ramp to Macom Drive, including the intersection at Peace Road and Fairview Drive, is necessary to enhance the safety of motorists who use this heavily utilized route.

City Engineer Zac Gill said the improvements make sense as a number of vehicle crashes have been noted in this corridor.

In addition, there will be some resurfacing of the Fairview Drive intersection north all the way to Lincoln Highway.

“Because obviously, it takes a long time to step through these corridors, resurfacing it now was as part of the project another appropriate expenditure,” Gill said.

Project leaders also will create some new turn lanes, along with the implementation of what Gill calls “free flow” right-turn lanes for eastbound traffic on Fairview Drive that allows semi-trucks to merge into traffic more easily.

“[It’s] similar to when you get on the tollway where you come down the ramp and you have a bit of time to accelerate before you merge with traffic,” Gill said. “It’ll be a similar condition there.”

The city is tapping the construction engineering professional services of Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick (HLR) to administer and oversee the construction project in exchange for $160,000, officials said. The city has utilized HLR’s services multiple times in the past.

Gill said the city intends to allocate $2 million in local funds, including $1 million in motor fuel tax dollars to help pay for the improvements.

Gill said the motor fuel tax dollars are contributed by private developments.

“There are also existing development agreements with Park 88,” Gill said. “Some of the private parties have to contribute. … They knew eventually Peace Road would become this major corridor. So, things were written into that development agreement [during the] annexation process.”

The city also qualifies for federal Surface Transportation Urban (STU) funds to help pay for improvements related to this infrastructure project, officials said.

The construction work, once it gets underway, is anticipated to continue through summer 2023, according to city documents.