Two road projects almost off the ground in W. Dundee

Two of West Dundee's largest thoroughfares -- the intersection at Routes 31 and 72 and a nearly three-mile stretch of Randall Road -- soon will be under construction for about six months.

In both cases, officials say motorists should be patient and consider using alternate routes, especially during peak travel times.

The first project, a $2.96 million Illinois Department of Transportation job, involves adding turning lanes and other improvements at Routes 31 and 72 to accommodate more cars. IDOT documents show that daily traffic volumes, 46,000 vehicles in 1993, will increase to a projected 61,200 vehicles this year.

Meanwhile, the Kane County Division of Transportation was prepared to start a roughly three-mile resurfacing project on Randall Road between West Dundee and Algonquin on Monday but didn't, due to looming storms. The work is expected to start once the weather calms down, said John Guddendorf, Kane County's senior construction manager.

For the intersection project, IDOT workers will install new traffic signals, dual left turn lanes on Route 31, right turn lanes on Route 72 and northbound Route 31. The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31.

Portions of Route 72 and Route 31 were reduced to one lane of traffic last week while workers removed trees and moved utility lines. That process continued Monday and is expected to end in a few weeks -- an exact date construction has not been set, IDOT Spokeswoman Jae Miller said.

Once construction gets off the ground, though, Route 72 will be reduced to one lane westbound, with other closures and delays possible, Miller said.

The streets were congested during the Monday morning rush, but traffic seemed to be moving freely later in the day, West Dundee Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said.

Traffic jams during the morning and evening rushes are expected to be a way of life until the project ends, he said.

"The best advice we can give people is to try to get off at peak hours and have a lot more patience when traveling through these areas," Cavallaro said.

Meanwhile, Kane County's project involves resurfacing Randall Road between Route 72 in West Dundee and Corporate Boulevard in Algonquin, just south of Algonquin Commons.

The work is part of the road's regular maintenance and should last between eight and 10 years once it's completed, Guddendorf said.

Temporary, daily lane closures will be in effect Monday through Saturday in order to get the work done.

Weather permitting, workers are expected to complete that project by June 28.