A monthslong project resurfacing Old Mill Grove Road started last month and kicked off the 2023 resurfacing program in Lake Zurich, officials announced on the village website.
The announcement listed Browning Lane, Brush Hill Lane, Heartwood Lane, Kingwood Lane, Millbrook Lane, Pebble Creek Drive and Ridgewood Court as also scheduled for resurfacing.
“The work will consist of milling and resurfacing the existing pavement, utility improvements, and removal and replacement of the existing curb and sidewalk as needed,” Mike Brown, director of the Public Works Department, stated in a May 1 road construction notice to residents.
Brown told Pioneer Press that approximately three miles of resurfacing and paving of Old Mill Grove Road and roadways east in the Old Mill Grove subdivision are involved in the $2.7 million project, paid for with funds from the statewide $33 billion “Rebuild Illinois” capital improvement campaign administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation and motor fuel taxes.
Rebuild Illinois has budgeted a total of $25.3 billion for road and bridge work around the state.
“Our typical program runs on the non-Home Rule sales tax fund. Because of the reserve in the motor fuel tax and the Rebuild Illinois grants, we’re using those accounts this year before those potential other avenues or other funding sources,” he said.
Brown said approximately five companies bid on the project, which was contracted to Elk Grove Village-based Arrow Road Construction, a company that has worked with Lake Zurich for more than 20 years.
“They were the lowest responsible bid. They are a firm that the village has experience with and have done other road programs with,” he said.
According to Brown, it has been more than 20 years since Old Mill Grove Road has been resurfaced and the goal of the program is to resurface village roads every 20 years, contingent on funding.
He said traffic delays are expected.
“As you would see with any typical roadway construction, that’s the biggest impact. Outside of that, as you would with any other project, it’s a bit of an inconvenience for most folks but we will deliver a great end product,” Brown said.
Construction was set to begin the week of May 8 and be completed by Oct. 1, according to information on the village website.
“Our target is to be substantially completed before school gets back in but it’s always weather permitting,” Brown said.
According to the announcement, construction activities will be limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays – when on-street parking is prohibited even if there appears to be no construction taking place on the roads slated for resurfacing.
Officials said in the announcement that the parking restriction allows the engineer or inspector and contractor to work unimpeded.
“In the event that access to your driveway has been removed due to infrastructure repairs, the village/contractor will provide specific instruction for additional parking,” officials said in the project announcement.
Brown said this year’s resurfacing program begins with concrete and utility subcontractors doing adjustments to curbs and sidewalks before major road construction.
“In this type of program, we do improvements or repairs to some stormwater, sanitary and water infrastructure – anything that looks like it needs some improvement or repairs – prior to the paving of the roadways,” he said.
In the full construction notice mailed May 2 to all impacted addresses, Brown listed the road resurfacing project’s six steps, starting with personal property in the right-of-way being marked by residents prior to construction so crews can try to accommodate privately owned irrigation and dog fence systems.
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“Repair or replacement of any of these systems that are damaged during construction or as a result of the construction will be the sole responsibility of the resident,” he said in the notice.
Other steps include curb and sidewalk removal and replacement, which residents will be notified of one day in advance if the work may require temporary driveway closure, and pavement milling to a depth specified by the contract, the notice states.
“Access to your driveway should not be impacted during this process, but we ask you to please enter your driveway with caution due to the increased curb height or pavement lip during this stage of construction,” Brown said in the notice.
Additional steps include a layer of prime coat, or oil, which motorists should avoid driving on when possible, the notice states.
“This prime coat can be very difficult to remove if it happens to get splashed onto your vehicle or tracked on your driveway,” Brown said in the notice.
Other steps include roadway paving when asphalt will be placed and motorists should limit trips through the construction area, the notice states.
“The final product can be adversely affected by excessive vehicular traffic during placement,” Brown said in the notice.
Once concrete placement is completed, the project’s last step is addressing driveway or turf disturbance caused by construction, the notice states.
“Driveway restoration will be completed using standard asphalt surface materials. Turf restoration will be completed with pulverized topsoil and seed,” Brown said in the notice.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.