The Lake County Board approved $17 million in agreements with various engineering and construction companies for a list of roadway projects during Tuesday’s board meeting, part of the larger Transportation Improvement Program the board approved in July.
The largest projects authorized Tuesday included $6.8 million for resurfacing, restoring and rehabilitating a portion of Deep Lake Road, from Illinois Route 132 to Illinois Route 173; $3.8 million for engineering services for improvements along Lewis Avenue, from Sunset Avenue to Illinois Route 173; and $2.5 million for resurfacing Butterfield Road, from Illinois Route 176 to Illinois Route 137.
A $2.1 million agreement for engineering services at Hunt Club and Stearns School roads, which is currently proposed to have a multi-lane roundabout, will include new sidewalks and bike paths, adding to the county’s extensive and growing inventory of non-motorized paths.
Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart praised the additions during the meeting.
Several other projects approved Tuesday were also part of the TIP, including an agreement with Pace for countywide transit services.
Ranging from repairing bridges to resurfacing roads, the projects are a relatively small portion of the $850 million Transportation Improvement Program, which aims to improve the area’s quality of life and encourage economic development with over 300 projects between 2024 and 2029.
According to a press release, the program was designed to maintain the more than 900 lane miles of county highways while increasing driver and pedestrian safety, improving mobility and reducing carbon emissions. It includes sizable investments into bike and pedestrian paths, road resurfacing and intersection improvements, among others.
