Turn lane construction delayed
<span>Motorists get an extra week of reprieve on the upcoming turn lane project at the three-way stop in Chester.</span>
<span>During Monday's meeting of the Chester City Council, Mayor Tom Page announced that the project's start had been pushed back a week until Sept. 30 as Union Pacific Railroad workers are replacing track along Bridge Bypass Road.</span>
<span>The crossing near Ardent Mills was to be closed as a result of the work, essentially shutting off the detour route for the turn lane project. The Illinois Department of Transportation had instructed tractor-trailer traffic to use Bridge Bypass Road to get around the closed intersection in the center of town.</span>
<span>The nearly $180,000 turn lane project is meant to relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of Route 3 (Opdyke Street) and Route 150 (State Street) by adding a right-turn lane at the former site of the Texaco gas station.</span>
<span>All lanes of the intersection will remain closed during construction, which is scheduled to be complete (weather permitting) by Oct. 30. Page said after Monday's meeting that access to Rub A Dub Laundromat, which occupies the southwest corner of the intersection, would still be available.</span>
<span>"School buses could go down George Street," Page said. "It's going to be a hassle for awhile. It's one of those things you have to live with until you're done and we're looking at three weeks."</span>
<span>The Texaco station was demolished in July 2014 to make room for the project. It was managed and operated by Frank Cook, who died at age 97 in 2011, for 35 years.</span>
<span>"Naturally, this has been a project I've been pushing for over a year," said Chester Mayor Tom Page. "I think it will eliminate some of our traffic problems. It will allow trucks to make a right turn without cars having to stop half a block away and take turns going through the intersection."</span>
<span>Chester-based Red Dot Construction and Equipment Rentals, the lone bidder for the contract, is the general contractor on the project.</span>
<span>Engineering services are being provided by Ruzich Engineering.</span>
<span>The Chester City Council approved a resident engineering contract with Ruzich at its Sept. 8 meeting so that it can put the company on the city's payroll for the duration of the project.</span>
<span>Page said the current stop signs will remain in place. Phase 2 of the project will involve removing two of the three stop signs - leaving only the stop sign on State Street for traffic coming from the Randolph County Courthouse toward the center of town.</span>
<span>"The stops will be just as they are until we get to Phase 2, which is probably a few years away," he said.</span>
<span>Page said the current location of Pinky's Sugarland will be addressed during Phase 2. The building was built in the late 1800s and has housed a doctor's office, dentist's office, beauty shop, barber shop, shoe shop, magic shop and Republican headquarters, among other uses, in its history.</span>
<span>As for the project itself, Red Dot Construction owner Kurt Schroeder said he doesn't anticipate a difficult process.</span>
<span>"We're just widening one turn lane and pouring more pavement, there's nothing real difficult about it," he said. "Taking out two trees, adding a new sidewalk and curbing on one side.</span>
<span>"It will be adequate for the big trucks; I think the general public will really like it."</span>