With a significant undertaking on the horizon to widen Illinois Route 47 in the Yorkville area, the state has agreed to cover all costs for the relocation of underground utilities for the reconstruction from Waterpark Way to Jericho Road.

The overall project includes expanding the Route 47 corridor from Kennedy Road in Yorkville out to Cross Street in Sugar Grove. The project aims to alleviate traffic congestion.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is involved in all parts of the expansion project, including widening and expanding Route 47, and installing pathways and bridges more accessible to pedestrians.

The infrastructure overhaul is expected to be a game-changer for the region, according to the city.

The state is reimbursing the city for engineering agreements, including design costs, for the underground utilities.

The design engineering for the Route 47 water main replacement project is currently complete. The next step is to bid out the project as part of the larger Route 47 work, according to city documents.

In another part of the water main replacement project, the design engineering for the Kennedy Road to Water Park Way section is on hold pending further guidance from IDOT.

Alleviating traffic congestion

The construction could take at least two years to complete but residents will see a significant improvement in traffic flow once it’s finished, Eric Dhuse, Yorkville’s director of public works, previously said.

“It will move traffic so much better and more efficiently,” Dhuse said. “Right now, up at our north-end by Galena Road, it tends to back up in the early morning rush hour and the evening rush hour for probably a half-mile. This should alleviate that issue.”

In the northern section of the project alone, more than $1 million of new infrastructure and water mains need to be relocated, according to city documents.

The project will also redo infrastructure along the route, like the Baseline Road bridge, which will be completely redesigned and connected to the pavement to make the intersection more pedestrian accessible.

While the construction work will be lengthy, Dhuse said, alleviating traffic congestion through re-designing roadways has proven successful before in the Yorkville area.

“We saw the same kinds of backups in downtown Yorkville, and at U.S. Route 34 and Route 47 before it was widened,” Dhuse said. “Now that everything is widened in that area, traffic moves through much better.”