Oswego officials eye spring start on Wolf’s Crossing, Harvey Road roundabout as planning proceeds on second roundabout

Village of Oswego officials are expecting construction to start this spring on a roundabout at the intersection of Wolf’s Crossing and Harvey roads near Oswego East High School.

In the meantime, village officials and their consultants are moving forward with plans for a second roundabout on Wolf’s Crossing Road at the west intersection of Douglas Road.

As part of their consent agenda during a Jan. 10 meeting, the Village Board awarded a contract totaling $897,267 to Alfred Benesch & Company, a Chicago-based engineering firm, to prepare Phase II engineering and land acquisition services for the Wolf’s Crossing and Douglas Road roundabout.

In a memo to the board, village public works department staff noted that Benesch & Company was first retained by the village in May 2016 at a cost of $1.4 million to prepare Phase I engineering plans for the improvement of Wolf’s Crossing Road from Route 34 on the west to Eola Road on the east.

Benesch & Company recommended in their Phase I study that the Wolf’s Crossing Road improvements be completed in 10 segments in order to spread the cost out over multiple years.

Benesch & Company subsequently completed the Phase II engineering plans for the Wolf’s Crossing and Harvey Road roundabout project.

Staff noted that the firm has performed well on the complex project and recommended the board retain it to prepare Phase II engineering plans for the roundabout on Wolf’s Crossing Road at Douglas Road.

In a related matter, Jennifer Hughes, the village’s public works director and engineer, said in an email the Illinois Department of Transportation is scheduled to open construction bids for the roundabout at Wolf’s Crossing and Harvey roads Friday, Jan. 20.

“Once they review and authorize us to approve the contract, we will set the start date with the contractor. I anticipate work will start in early spring 2023,” Hughes said.

Hughes said the project has an estimated cost of $8.2 million and a contracted completion date of Nov. 22, 2023, plus 20 working days.

“The project contemplates a complete closure of the Harvey Road intersection from school’s end in the spring until the completion date,” Hughes said.

A traffic detour route and more information available on the village’s website as the startup of construction approaches, Hughes said.