Plainfield looks to improve traffic flow with 143rd Street extension

Local stakeholders gathered Wednesday morning to mark the groundbreaking of the 143rd Street west extension in Plainfield.

The goal of the project is to redirect traffic away from Plainfield’s downtown corridor, especially in terms of commercial vehicles, and improve travel times to the western portion of Plainfield.

The cost of the initial phase of the project is about $12 million.

Plainfield Mayor John F. Argoudelis told the audience at the groundbreaking event that he grew up about a half mile to the east of the site on his family farm, where he still lives.

“I remember 143rd as a gravel country road,” he said. “When you think of the changes in Plainfield throughout the years, especially the last 30, you just marvel.”

The project has been a long time coming and will close gaps along the corridor. Future projects are expected to increase capacity along the existing corridor.

The mayor connected the expansion with the village’s industrial growth.

“Plainfield has great economic opportunities to continue developing a diversified tax base with the industrial growth and interest that has been spurred by this project,” he said Wednesday. “Along with the industrial growth, staff and I have worked hard on industrial development creating and maintaining a green belt.”

A corridor of permanent, native green space will be used for wildlife habitat, recreational purposes and as a buffer to homes, Argoudelis said.

The west extension of the project includes constructing a new road between Ridge and Steiner roads, including improvements at Ridge Road, stormwater improvements coordinated jointly with adjacent developments, and multiple culverts and retaining walls.

Thanks to last week’s period of warmer weather, progress was made on the water main installation that includes 3,200 square feet of new, 20-inch water main along the east side of Ridge Road between 143rd Street/Johnson Road and Kendall County Highway 22.

The other project, the 143rd Street east extension, involves constructing a new road between Routes 59 and 126 with improvements at both intersections, a bridge over the DuPage River, a new signalized intersection at Plainfield-Naperville Road, and multiple culverts and a retaining wall.

This part of the project is expected to be completed in fall 2025.

Additional long-term project components include:

• 143rd Street at Wallin Drive. Intersection widening including additional turn lanes to increase capacity through the intersection.

• East 143rd Street widening, Wallin Drive to Route 59. Adding lanes along the existing road (turning and/or thru lanes) to increase road capacity.

• West 143rd Street widening, Steiner Road to Wallin Drive. Adding lanes along the existing road (turning and/or thru lanes) to increase road capacity.

• 143rd Street western access, Route 126 to Ridge Road. Constructing a new road west of Ridge Road with a broad S-curve south to Route 126, reducing travel time along the corridor.

• 143rd Street shared-use path, Van Dyke Road to Wallin Drive. Installation of an estimated 0.6-mile shared-use path extension on 143rd Street from Van Dyke Road to Wallin Drive and pedestrian-crossing improvements at the intersection of 143rd Street and Van Dyke.