Some major road construction projects that matter to bicyclists have been going on in Lake County this year. As construction season comes to a close, I decided to have a look at them myself.
One project was a nice little surprise and is already done: Checker Road in Long Grove. Another is a major project in western Lake County that’s almost done: the final two Darrell Road roundabouts, which are part of a favorite road ride.
Two other projects are near each other and part (along with Checker Road) of another great road ride. One is the Main Street redevelopment through downtown Lake Zurich, and the other is Old McHenry Road between Cuba and Quentin roads.
The Main Street work’s completion seems so close yet so far, while the Old McHenry work is just getting started.
Here’s how they were all looking as of Oct. 11, plus how Lake County is seeking help looking decades ahead.
Checker Road in Long Grove
I guess Checker Road through a more naturally scenic section of Long Grove had been a little bumpy, but now it definitely isn’t. The village repaved the road, which runs alongside the Buffalo Creek preserve and has a couple of fun curves, pretty quickly this fall.
The road never has had and still doesn’t have bike lanes or even a shoulder. But traffic is always light on this seemingly secret throughway, so it’s always been a pleasant ride.
Plus it’s handy. You access it on the west from Old Hicks Road, which comes off Route 53 — which you can access from the northwest via the lovely Long Grove Road. Checker then meanders east to Arlington Heights Road and continues into Buffalo Grove.
You can also connect with Schaeffer Road, which heads south into Arlington Heights — if you cross the possibly very busy Lake-Cook Road. (A safer way is to take the Buffalo Creek trail to Wilke Road, where a traffic light will help you cross Lake-Cook.)
Lake Zurich’s Main Street
Crews have been working on Main Street in Lake Zurich since the end of March for a total reconstruction and beautification. As of October, that’s extending over just about the whole length of Main Street through the center of town — including the intersection with Old Rand Road, where a big brick emblem is being built.
The once terribly bumpy street going by the promenade on the east side of the namesake lake was the first portion to see work. It has been completely rebuilt with a wide median and diagonal, brick parking spaces to replace the gravel spots on the side.
The aim of the big median, decorated with essentially a garden, is to slow traffic by creating two narrow auto lanes. New sidewalks and brick crosswalks place a focus on pedestrians for a more official gathering place, especially for summer sunsets.
Nothing there serves bicyclists. It had been fairly easy (potholes notwithstanding) to ride through the downtown and promenade area to get to, say, Route 22 and Ela Road, but it remains to be seen how easy it’ll be when the construction is done.
As of Oct. 11, meanwhile, Main Street was still decidedly closed, requiring a bicyclist to maneuver around construction barriers. But a sidewalk in the promenade area has long been open as a way to get through.
The village is saying the closures will last only another month, through mid-November.
Old McHenry Road
If you’re a serious road cyclist riding the peaceful Old McHenry Road between Long Grove and Hawthorn Woods, you’ll encounter a lot of orange signs warning of road work zones. But you won’t really see so much work this year.
A resurfacing project from Cuba Road to south of Quentin Road was to begin in May. On Sept. 25, the county said “utility relocations are complete on Old McHenry and the road work is starting to kick off.”
Storm sewer installation and culvert improvements began in late September, and that’s largely all that’s happening this year. The resurfacing is scheduled for next spring.
On Oct. 11, small sections of the south shoulder were blocked by the sewer work. Those are the only areas that would make Old McHenry difficult to bicycle particularly during heavy-traffic times.
Darrell Road roundabouts
Two roundabouts on Darrell Road near Island Lake in Lake County are about done, as is the off-road bike path among them.
The project completes the installation of three roundabouts. The first was installed at Case and Neville roads in the fall of 2023. Then as the project website says, Dowell Road was realigned to join Darrell Road at a new roundabout, and a third roundabout was added at the intersection with Fisher Road.
The project includes a new bike path from the Darrell-Case-Neville roundabout all the way north to Fisher Road. No paths will extend along Case, Dowell and Fisher themselves much beyond the roundabouts. And once you go north of Fisher on Darrell, the bike path ends.
That leaves us bicyclists back on the Darrell Road shoulder to keep riding toward Lakemoor and Volo. That’s not really so bad especially if you’re a more serious cyclist; Darrell Road provides nice scenery and the traffic is largely light.
It’s being said that some of this new bike path will be part of the Grand Illinois Trail, but it appears that larger plan will come later.
Thinking of the future
While these and other road and trail projects big and small are going on, Lake County is thinking at least a quarter-century ahead.
Actually, as the county says, the state requires it to develop a long-range transportation plan. And so the next plan begins with “Envision 2050.” Public feedback is being sought through Oct. 21 via an impressive interactive website, and public engagement “in coming months” also is promised.
Simply developing the 25-year plan will take about a year. The county will be examining roads and other infrastructure, public transit, and best of all for us, bicycling facilities.
The website has one page where you can rate priorities and another page with a map where you can “drop a pin” to note concerns.
Why 2050? “Roads, trails, and sidewalks built today will serve Lake County for the next 50 years or longer,” one page of the website says. “It’s also important to understand that major projects can take decades from initial planning to completion. That’s why we are planning 25 years ahead.”
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