Some relief next year for daily traffic back-ups at Rt. 30-Orchard Road in Montgomery?

Some interim improvements may be coming to the traffic-snarled Route 30 and Orchard Road intersection in Montgomery next year.

Village President Matt Brolley told the village board Aug. 23 the village’s engineering consultants recently received what he described as “pre-final plans” for the improvements that would include the installation of an additional turn lane in the southbound lane on Orchard Road and in the eastbound lane of Route 30 at the intersection.

The turn lanes are expected to improve traffic flow through the intersection. Currently, traffic back-ups are daily occurrences in the morning in the eastbound lane of Route 30 and in the evening in the southbound lane on Orchard Road.

Improvements for pedestrians attempting to cross the highway at the intersection are also planned, according to Brolley, who said he was excited to see them in the plans.

“There is a bike path on north side (of the highway) and sidewalk on the south side with nothing in the middle (for pedestrians),” he noted.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) owns and maintains Route 30, while the Kane County Division of Transportation (KDOT) owns and maintains Orchard Road north of Route 30 and the Kendall County Highway department owns and maintains Orchard Road south of the highway.

If all goes as now planned, KDOT would seek bids for the interim improvements in January with construction taking place next year, Brolley said.

Village officials have sought improvements at the intersection for years, citing the daily traffic back-ups and frequent and often serious crashes.

IDOT has long-range plans to rebuild the intersection to accommodate the rising traffic volume but has not yet allocated funding for the project.

Brolley said State Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, recently contacted IDOT on the village’s behalf concerning their plans for the intersection.

Wheeler, Brolley said, asked IDOT for information on the status of what he described as the “ultimate improvements” the agency plans for the intersection along with a request to reduce the speed limit on Route 30.

IDOT officials, however, told Wheeler the agency does not yet have funding for the full improvements and the request for a speed limit reduction was rejected.

Despite IDOT’s response, Brolley encouraged village board members and staff to continue to press agency officials to budget the funds needed to rebuild the intersection.

Referring to IDOT officials, Brolley said, “Any chance that we can (get to) remind them of how interested and how big a deal it is and how we are tired of seeing crosses and flowers at that intersection the better.”