The Illinois Department of Transportation said this month that it will allocate $500,000 for upgrading and modernizing traffic signals along U.S. Highway 41, from Park Avenue West in Highland Park to Illinois Highway 60 in Lake Forest.
The upgrades will include installation of 15 new traffic signal heads, as well as one controller, one electric cable, one fiber optic cable and one steel mast arm assembly. A contractor will be selected over the next several weeks.
“I hope that we will continue to focus on modernization and safety projects along U.S. 41,” state Rep. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) said. “We all know that U.S. 41 is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the state and, therefore, should receive top priority for this type of funding.”
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As far back as early 1999, local leaders, including Garrett, have been holding meetings to discuss improving safety on U.S. 41 and Illinois Highways 43, 60 and 176.
Among options are synchronizing traffic signals, adding lanes on tollway entrance and exit ramps on Illinois 60 and 176 and adding state-of-the-art pedestrian signals in Lake Forest.