Unseasonably warm winter weather has allowed the Lake County Department of Transportation (LCDOT) to resume utility work early on some road projects.
Typically, county road projects kick off in April, according to county spokesperson Alex Carr, but the county is “trending on the earlier side” this year thanks to the warmer winter.
“It’s all weather-dependent though, as it’s not uncommon to see significant snow in late February and March,” Carr said.
This February has been the warmest in the Chicago metro region in 150 years, making it the second-hottest on record.
The high average temperatures can largely be attributed to a “strong” El Niño and long-term warming due to climate change, weather experts have said in recent months.
The natural weather phenomenon, El Niño, is when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the Equator are warmer than average. Occurring on an average of every two to seven years, the climate pattern usually begins in the summer, and peaks in intensity during the winter.
For the Chicago metro area, that has translated into a milder and drier winter overall.
LCDOT assistant county engineer Kevin Carrier said utility, drainage and excavation work can occur during this time of year to help the department prepare for the heart of the construction season.
“We like to get a head start on the construction projects whenever we can, though we may be limited more than you may think,” he said. “Mother Nature can quickly turn around a rainy spring that can limit the amount of work we can do, so we’ll take advantage of good weather when we get it. Dry, 50-degree weather like we saw … is the best we can ask for during this time of year.”
Removing and replacing the gas mains on Aptakisic Road resumed as temperatures reached 50 and 60 degrees. The county road project on Aptakisic Road stretches 1.2 miles, between state Route 83 and Buffalo Grove Road in the villages of Long Grove and Buffalo Grove.
LCDOT’s engineer of construction Glenn Petko said more utility work could start on a few projects, such as in Ela at Long Grove Road and at Illinois Route 59 at Grand Ave, but the timeline is still tentative.
Paving work will have to wait, as asphalt plants do not open until there is confidence the winter weather is over, according to Carrier. Typically the plants open in April or May.
Starting earlier in the year than anticipated does not affect construction budgets, Carrier said, but can help keep work on schedule.
“Inclement weather will undoubtedly impact us in some capacity, so sometimes it’s beneficial to jump on the opportunity to get work done earlier in the year to ensure projects are moving ahead on schedule,” Carrier said.