‘We have to get it widened’: Federal infrastructure funds for Route 30 on Montgomery’s west side?

Now that President Joe Biden has signed a landmark $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, village of Montgomery officials are hopeful that some of those federal funds can be used to improve Route 30 on the village’s west side, including improvements at the Route 30 and Orchard Road intersection.

During a Nov. 22 village board meeting, Steve Jungermann, a board member, said he had read that an area state representative had suggested that local municipalities could use the infrastructure funds to connect to new water sources or to extend Metra commuter rail service into Kendall County, both costly projects.

But Jungermann told his board colleagues he would rather see the infrastructure dollars used to improve Route 30.

“Quite honestly, I’m more interested in getting that corridor widened then I am in getting Metra at this point. We have to get it widened,” Jungermann said.

The two-lane highway from Route 31 west to Route 47 is the scene of daily traffic back-ups and frequent accidents, especially at the intersection of Route 30 and Orchard Road. Long traffic back-ups also occur daily on Orchard Road at the Route 30 intersection.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has completed initial plans to improve the highway west of Route 31, but the agency has yet to include it in its multi-year construction program. Meanwhile, the Kane County Division of Transportation, which owns and maintains Orchard Road north of Route 30, is expected to soon seek contractor bids for the installation of additional turn lanes at Orchard Road and Route 30 to help ease the back-ups, but that project is viewed by village officials as a stop-gap until the intersection can be completely rebuilt.

Jungermann said he had recently discussed the federal infrastructure funds with State Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, and Wheeler told him local officials will have to “wait and see what the federal government is going to do.”

Jungermman said in the meantime village officials need to “stay on” its local representatives in Congress, Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, and Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, and encourage them to help steer some of the federal funds for Route 30 improvements.

Board member Matt Bauman noted that the Orchard Road and Route 30 intersection had been the site of multiple accidents the weekend prior to the board’s Nov. 22 meeting and asked when IDOT will consider improvements at the intersection as a “drastic need.”

Village President Matt Brolley said many of the state’s highways are in terrible shape.

“Ours is just one of them,” he said, adding, “But it doesn’t mean we should stop pushing (for improvements).”

Peter Wallers, president of Engineering Enterprises, Inc., the village’s engineering consultants, agreed with Brolley that there are many state highways in need of repairs.

Wallers, however, added, “I think we need to keep the pressure on IDOT. Hopefully there will be more funds, so hopefully we will move (Route 30) up the chain here and we’ll get it done.”