Triangle Project on Hold as Village Awaits Go-Ahead from IDOT

The long-planned triangle construction project at the intersection of Archer Avenue and McCarthy and Derby roads is being delayed as the state waits to acquire a small piece of land, officials said Monday.

Village Engineer Jim Cainkar said Lemont has done everything on its end to move forward with the project, which will improve road and sidewalk conditions along the busy triangle intersection.

However, the Illinois Department of Transportation—which is reponsible for bidding the project and construction—has delayed construction as it waits to acquire a small parcel of right-of-way, Cainkar said.

Construction can not move forward until the right-of-way is acquired by the state, according to village officials.

The triangle project went out to bid in April, meaning the 45-day bid period has expired. The contractor, however, is expected to honor the commitment, so long as the delay doesn't continue much longer.

Should IDOT fail to acquire the parcel, it's possible the village will have to re-bid the project and delay work until next year, village officials said.

The Village of Lemont has been planning to improve the triangle intersection for several years. The project, which is expected to cost about $2.7 million, will include pavement widening, resurfacing, intersection channelization, traffic control signals, and all necessary traffic control and restoration.

Federal funds from the Southwest Conference of Mayors will cover construction engineering of the project.

Should IDOT move forward with the land acquisition in the next few weeks, construction could begin this summer and be completed by the end of the year, village offficials said.

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