Illinois interesting bid annoucements

[Rick Powell]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

[edwaleni]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

Too funny. The PP was blasted for promoting sprawl.  Now it appears the sprawl is getting closer without it.

Did IDOT dispose of the property they acquired under Hastert's budgets?

[Rick Powell]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

Too funny. The PP was blasted for promoting sprawl.  Now it appears the sprawl is getting closer without it.

Did IDOT dispose of the property they acquired under Hastert's budgets?

Not too much "sprawl" where the improvement is going, but it is amusing to see several thousand cars a day on a country road in a fairly sparsely populated area, carrying commuters from the Sandwich/Plano/Somonauk area east to their jobs in Kane, Cook and DuPage counties. The new route will probably reduce the amount of traffic using the roundabout and a busy RR grade crossing at the east end of Granart. Not sure if there has been any movement to sell the acquired PP land which is mostly agricultural, but there is some frontage along US 34 that is vacant but zoned commercial and residential.

[edwaleni]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

Too funny. The PP was blasted for promoting sprawl.  Now it appears the sprawl is getting closer without it.

Did IDOT dispose of the property they acquired under Hastert's budgets?

Not too much "sprawl" where the improvement is going, but it is amusing to see several thousand cars a day on a country road in a fairly sparsely populated area, carrying commuters from the Sandwich/Plano/Somonauk area east to their jobs in Kane, Cook and DuPage counties. The new route will probably reduce the amount of traffic using the roundabout and a busy RR grade crossing at the east end of Granart. Not sure if there has been any movement to sell the acquired PP land which is mostly agricultural, but there is some frontage along US 34 that is vacant but zoned commercial and residential.

If they are successful in pushing Metra down US-34 past Plano, the you can almost guarantee there will be population swing. Just look at Elburn, Ilinois since they extended Metra out there.

[Brandon]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

Too funny. The PP was blasted for promoting sprawl.  Now it appears the sprawl is getting closer without it.

Did IDOT dispose of the property they acquired under Hastert's budgets?

That's because growth will happen whether the roads are there or not.  May I present to you Exhibit A: western Lake County.  IL-53 has never been extended, but the area grew by a tremendous amount.

[edwaleni]

* Item 105 appears to be an extension of Dauberman Road in Kane County with new bridges over US 30 and the nearby railroad.

Coincidentally, this extension connects Granart Road to Dauberman Road, and follows some of the defunct Prairie Parkway corridor.

Too funny. The PP was blasted for promoting sprawl.  Now it appears the sprawl is getting closer without it.

Did IDOT dispose of the property they acquired under Hastert's budgets?

That's because growth will happen whether the roads are there or not.  May I present to you Exhibit A: western Lake County.  IL-53 has never been extended, but the area grew by a tremendous amount.

That is a sore subject in many a thread. I do remember the "sprawl" argument being made in the late 1970's. Here we are 40 years later and the very towns who complained about sprawl, annexed and developed all the land surrounding and right up to the ROW. Just a complete non-sequitur. But I will leave that for the dedicated thread. I agree, 53 is Exhibit A.

[Rick Powell]

Not a bid announcement, but IDOT is soliciting engineering proposals for construction inspection of several sections of I-80 in the Joliet area, and the new Florence Bridge on IL 100/106 in western IL.
https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Doing-Business/Bulletins-&-Circulars/Highways/Design-and-Environment/ptb-207/PTB-207.pdf

[edwaleni]

Not a bid announcement, but IDOT is soliciting engineering proposals for construction inspection of several sections of I-80 in the Joliet area, and the new Florence Bridge on IL 100/106 in western IL.
https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Doing-Business/Bulletins-&-Circulars/Highways/Design-and-Environment/ptb-207/PTB-207.pdf

This would be a post construction inspection, to make sure it was built to spec? or a "in-process" inspection to make sure the materials used are supplied to spec?

Sorry I didn't read the bid.

[Rick Powell]

Not a bid announcement, but IDOT is soliciting engineering proposals for construction inspection of several sections of I-80 in the Joliet area, and the new Florence Bridge on IL 100/106 in western IL.
https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Doing-Business/Bulletins-&-Circulars/Highways/Design-and-Environment/ptb-207/PTB-207.pdf

This would be a post construction inspection, to make sure it was built to spec? or a "in-process" inspection to make sure the materials used are supplied to spec?

Sorry I didn't read the bid.

Construction inspection and management from start to finish of project, overseeing the general contractor that IDOT hires after the successful low bid. Years ago, IDOT did this work in-house but have now migrated to having a few IDOT field people on the project, with the majority of field inspection/management personnel contracted out.

[Revive 755]

List of projects for the March 10, 2023 Letting is up.

* Item 1 (already deleted) would have been a roundabout for the IL 40 intersection with Science Ridge Road north of Sterling.

* Item 39:  "Intersection widening and resurfacing at 3 locations: IL 154 at Water Street in Pinckneyville, IL 127/149 at North 4th Street in Murphysboro and IL 13/127/149 at North Street in Murphysboro"

* Item 56 is intersection improvements for the 183rd Street - Central Avenue intersection in Tinley Park

* Item 63 is an intersection widening project on IL 19 in Schaumburg and Hanover Park - IL 19 at Wise perhaps?

* Item 64 is signal modernization at a few intersections along IL 50/IL 83 through Crestwood

* Item 78 is intersection reconstruction for the Touhy Avenue intersection with Gross Point Road in Niles.

* Item 84 appears to be an intersection project somewhere on US 41 in Wilmette.

* Item 114 does a little resurfacing on I-55 around IL 54 and on IL 54 in the Springfield area.

* Item 120 reconstructs Wood Street in Harvey and Dixmoor from 161st Street to Thornton Road

* Item 122 is intersection improvements for IL 60 at Lakeview Parkway and Lakeview Parkway at Hawthorn Parkway in Vernon Hills

* Item 124 replaces the Briggs Street overpass on I-80

* Item 147 reconstructs part of US 40 and IL 33 in Effingham

* Item 151 is an extension of Collins Road and some sort of construction of (on?) Minkler Road in Oswego

[ilpt4u]

List of projects for the March 10, 2023 Letting is up.

* Item 39:  "Intersection widening and resurfacing at 3 locations: IL 154 at Water Street in Pinckneyville, IL 127/149 at North 4th Street in Murphysboro and IL 13/127/149 at North Street in Murphysboro"

Last I checked, IL 154 is Water St thru Pinckneyville, at least until the RR underpass. This must be the 154/W Water St intersection just south of the round-about west of town, I think anyway. Adding turn lanes?

North St and 4th St in Murphysboro has to be adding turn lanes. Limits on what can really be added at North St, because it is only accessible to SB 127 traffic. NB was barricaded/separated when the parking lot was built for the new Holiday Inn hotel

Left Turns onto 4th St can and does cause traffic issues for EB traffic.

[ET21]

* Item 78 is intersection reconstruction for the Touhy Avenue intersection with Gross Point Road in Niles.

Long overdue 

[paulthemapguy]

I'm sure a lot of these items were much anticipated by many of us, but I'm excited about Items 151 and 124.  I grew up in the cluster of neighborhoods north of Collins Road and west of Grove Road...and since the mid-2000s, I've been wondering when they would finally extend Collins Road to the west. The housing crisis in the mid-late 2000s put a kibosh on continued sprawl, and growth hasn't really happened in the area since then.

Many of the bridges over I-80 in Will County are in bad shape.  The ones at Briggs Street and Francis Road have had posted weight limits for the past several years.  The ones at Gougar Road and 80th Avenue are in awful shape as well--at least the superstructures.  Thankfully, 80th Avenue is being reconstructed this year.  Francis Road has a posted weight limit of 14 tons anyway, so that bridge isn't high on the priority list.  Briggs Street, however, is truck-a-palooza, and needs work ASAP.

[edwaleni]

They really need to get IL-47 (Bridge Street) sorted out betwen Yorkville all the way to Morris.  In fact they should use the land they bought for the Prairie Parkway at I-80 and run essentially a Morris bypass up to IL-47. Put in the ramps south now for the future Morris-Peotone Connector.  IL-47 is ahead of the game north of Morris but ends too soon.

Every 25 years IDOT or the local county has had to upgrade a major N-S arterial.

First it was IL-59 in the 1980's between Shorewood to Barrington.

Then it was Randall Road/Orchard Road from Crystal Lake down to Minkler Road in the 2000's.

Next will be IL-47. From Morris all the way to Huntley/Woodstock.

Might as well acquire the ROW land now and build the overpasses. Widen everything later when the strip malls and housing developments start popping in around 2030.

[Rick Powell]

The land at 80? I guess the Minooka Road overpass could eventually accommodate added ramps and be an interchange between Minooka and Brisbin Road. The overhead bridge was built extra wide to accommodate 4 lanes. I don't see any other use of the excess land for a transportation project and most of it will likely eventually be auctioned off.

There is another N-S corridor being developed a piece at a time, the "Wikaduke Trail"  from US 6 to Butterfield Road using Ridge, Stewart and Eola Roads which have had added lanes and realignments in several places. There is a recorded centerline connecting Stewart and Eola Roads west of US 30, but other than that the alignment is set and in use, ready to be widened in the future where needed.

I would guess the IL 47 corridor will be a full 4 lanes from 80 to 88 by the early 2030s based on the progress of land acquisition and design plans, which are underway north and south of Yorkville. I think the District 3 portion is ahead of the District 1 portion. The gap between Waubonsee College and 88 might be the last piece done.

West of 47 the Eldamain Road crossing over the Fox River will be opened soon. This is a major piece of a corridor that may one day stretch from a future I-80 interchange at Saratoga Road west of Morris up to Kane County.

Finally, Grundy County and Kendall County have a long range plan to connect and upgrade Brisbin and Grove Roads from I-80 to Oswego as another major N-S route. It will probably be 2 lanes for a long time.

[edwaleni]

The land at 80? I guess the Minooka Road overpass could eventually accommodate added ramps and be an interchange between Minooka and Brisbin Road. The overhead bridge was built extra wide to accommodate 4 lanes. I don't see any other use of the excess land for a transportation project and most of it will likely eventually be auctioned off.

There is another N-S corridor being developed a piece at a time, the "Wikaduke Trail"  from US 6 to Butterfield Road using Ridge, Stewart and Eola Roads which have had added lanes and realignments in several places. There is a recorded centerline connecting Stewart and Eola Roads west of US 30, but other than that the alignment is set and in use, ready to be widened in the future where needed.

I would guess the IL 47 corridor will be a full 4 lanes from 80 to 88 by the early 2030s based on the progress of land acquisition and design plans, which are underway north and south of Yorkville. I think the District 3 portion is ahead of the District 1 portion. The gap between Waubonsee College and 88 might be the last piece done.

West of 47 the Eldamain Road crossing over the Fox River will be opened soon. This is a major piece of a corridor that may one day stretch from a future I-80 interchange at Saratoga Road west of Morris up to Kane County.

Finally, Grundy County and Kendall County have a long range plan to connect and upgrade Brisbin and Grove Roads from I-80 to Oswego as another major N-S route. It will probably be 2 lanes for a long time.

I was under the impression that IDOT owns the land where the Prairie Parkway was to intersect with I-80 east of Morris. Is this no longer the case?

[Rick Powell]

I was under the impression that IDOT owns the land where the Prairie Parkway was to intersect with I-80 east of Morris. Is this no longer the case?

I thought IDOT still owned the acreage for the planned I-80 Prairie Parkway interchange, but using the Grundy County GIS viewer, all the land appears to be on the tax rolls as private property. Mostly owned by Central Land Management. I looked up the tax info for some of the larger parcels and they show taxes being paid, which would indicate the land is no longer in state ownership. On the other hand, the parcels bought by IDOT from the Fox River to north of US 34, including the planned interchange at US 34, are clearly still state owned from the Kendall County GIS viewer.

IDOT still has its corridor map up, even though the corridor protection has been removed. From a 2017 public hearing on the corridor. Note that the planned I-80 interchange was strictly system to system with no local connection or south extension provided for. https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/IDOT-Projects/District-3/Prarie-Parkway-Corridor/files/110217PH/Aerial%20Exhibit%201%20(I-80%20-%20Church%20Rd).pdf

Edits: additional details from research

[edwaleni]

I was under the impression that IDOT owns the land where the Prairie Parkway was to intersect with I-80 east of Morris. Is this no longer the case?

I thought IDOT still owned the acreage for the planned I-80 Prairie Parkway interchange, but using the Grundy County GIS viewer, all the land appears to be on the tax rolls as private property. Mostly owned by Central Land Management. I looked up the tax info for some of the larger parcels and they show taxes being paid, which would indicate the land is no longer in state ownership. On the other hand, the parcels bought by IDOT from the Fox River to north of US 34, including the planned interchange at US 34, are clearly still state owned from the Kendall County GIS viewer.

IDOT still has its corridor map up, even though the corridor protection has been removed. From a 2017 public hearing on the corridor. Note that the planned I-80 interchange was strictly system to system with no local connection or south extension provided for. https://idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/IDOT-Projects/District-3/Prarie-Parkway-Corridor/files/110217PH/Aerial%20Exhibit%201%20(I-80%20-%20Church%20Rd).pdf

Edits: additional details from research

Does IDOT do a "first dibs" approach to right of ways?  I noticed in some jurisdictions the farmer maintains the rights to the land, pays taxes becuase he is allowed to continue to farm it and earn income from it, but can't sell it or sublet it becuase the state has first rights.

In some cases when funding was lost or removed, I would see the ROW was fallow for a season or two anticipating construction, then revert back to farming becuase the DOT wasn't sure when funding was being restored.

FWIW: Central Land Management is a land management company based in Plainfield Illinois, they grow sod and various grasses for suburban developments.

[Rick Powell]

If IDOT has excess right of way, and they own it in fee simple, they can sell it at public auction to the highest bidder. Land sales are often initiated by an interested party who knows the land is not being used and makes an inquiry to IDOT on whether hey would be interested in selling. IDT needs to get legislative approval (they usually combine a bunch of these together on an approval bill each year) and then the lands go to auction. Often there is only one bidder because the land doesn't have much value to anyone other than the adjacent land owner, but some parcels could be competitive.

If the land was never acquired in fee simple, use of it would revert to the underlying land owner if it was abandoned for a transportation purpose. Back in the 1920s era, IDOT acquired ROW by "dedication"  which meant no money changed hands. It was thought to be a just compensation because property was made more valuable by having a road next to it. Over the years the philosophy changed and any new ROW is now acquired by fee simple or permanent easement, and monetary compensation is given.

[edwaleni]

If IDOT has excess right of way, and they own it in fee simple, they can sell it at public auction to the highest bidder. Land sales are often initiated by an interested party who knows the land is not being used and makes an inquiry to IDOT on whether hey would be interested in selling. IDT needs to get legislative approval (they usually combine a bunch of these together on an approval bill each year) and then the lands go to auction. Often there is only one bidder because the land doesn't have much value to anyone other than the adjacent land owner, but some parcels could be competitive.

If the land was never acquired in fee simple, use of it would revert to the underlying land owner if it was abandoned for a transportation purpose. Back in the 1920s era, IDOT acquired ROW by "dedication"  which meant no money changed hands. It was thought to be a just compensation because property was made more valuable by having a road next to it. Over the years the philosophy changed and any new ROW is now acquired by fee simple or permanent easement, and monetary compensation is given.

Very interesting.  The reason I asked specifically about IDOT is due to the fact they own many parcels in and near where Barlett Road and Oak Street meets Lake Street (US-20). In those parcels there are signs that say "No Tresspassing, Property of IDOT".

In Tennessee north of Union City, the tax rolls showed two farmers still owned the ROW where I-69 was to come through, but while one left the land fallow, the other planted corn with a small gap for trucks to pass through. They weren't removed until TnDOT announced bids for the construction. This situation sat like this for many years while TnDOT got additional funding.

IDOT has been waiting on funding (forever) on US-20 to IL-59 but they continue to retain ownership of the said lands. Some have reverted to forest, some remain agricultural.

Along US-50 between Carlyle and Summerfield, there are many parts of the ROW for the unfinished 4 lane grade seperated highway in place, and even though the property line fences for the ROW are still in place, farmers have been allowed to come in those fences and plant corn where 2 lanes of highway were originally planned.

This is why I was asking, seems like each state, perhaps each district handles these differently.

[Rick Powell]

This is why I was asking, seems like each state, perhaps each district handles these differently.

Currently unused land owned by the state can and does get rented out for agriculture, business etc. That being said, excess land and its management is one of the things most states would prefer to minimize. Some policies for property management may vary from state to state, but for land acquisition all states must follow what is called the "Uniform Act" policy, including policy on items such as appraisals, offers to buy and relocation expenses, in order to stay eligible for federal funding.

[Revive 755]

List of projects for the April 28, 2023 Letting is up.

* Item 17 appears to be replacement of the IL 17 bridge over I-55 at Dwight.

* Item 38 resurfaces some of I-74 around the south side of Bloomington-Normal.

* Item 45 is a resurfacing with traffic signal work on 6th Street in Springfield "from north of Stanford Avenue to Myrtle Street".

* Item 86 is a signal improvement project on the Walkup Road - Crystal Lake Road corridor in McHenry County.  Based on the quantity of 4-section heads it may be a flashing yellow arrow project.

* Item 107 is a trombone mast arm replacement contract for the Chicago District.

* Item 108 replaces the River Road bridge over I-80 in Will County.

* Item 111 repaints the bridge carrying US 6 and US 52 over the Des Plaines River.

* Item 119 is a roundabout for IL 40 at Science Ridge Road north of Sterling.

* Item 140 appears to be an intersection improvement/realignment for IL 83 around IL 137.

* Item 150 reconstructs the IL 3 intersection with 20th Street in Granite City.

* Item 155"  "Roadway extension of Freedom Parkway from east of IL 8 to Cummings Lane in Washington."

* Item 157 is a rebid of a project to add right turn lanes to the Queeny Avenue - IL 3 intersection in Sauget.

[pianocello]

* Item 155"  "Roadway extension of Freedom Parkway from east of IL 8 to Cummings Lane in Washington."

Is it common for IDOT to take charge local road extensions like this? Right now, Freedom Pkwy just leads from IL 8 (BUS US 24) to the Walmart, Menards, and other commercial properties. The extension would allow it to better connect to residential areas to the east, but I don't see why IDOT would step in other than supplementary funding.

[Revive 755]

* Item 155"  "Roadway extension of Freedom Parkway from east of IL 8 to Cummings Lane in Washington."

Is it common for IDOT to take charge local road extensions like this? Right now, Freedom Pkwy just leads from IL 8 (BUS US 24) to the Walmart, Menards, and other commercial properties. The extension would allow it to better connect to residential areas to the east, but I don't see why IDOT would step in other than supplementary funding.

I'm guessing it is a federally funded project?  It doesn't seem uncommon for IDOT to let those, even if IDOT is not the lead agency and none of the roads in question are IDOT's.  Looking at the Kansas letting thread it appears like Illinois is not alone in this practice.

[Rothman]

* Item 155"  "Roadway extension of Freedom Parkway from east of IL 8 to Cummings Lane in Washington."

Is it common for IDOT to take charge local road extensions like this? Right now, Freedom Pkwy just leads from IL 8 (BUS US 24) to the Walmart, Menards, and other commercial properties. The extension would allow it to better connect to residential areas to the east, but I don't see why IDOT would step in other than supplementary funding.

I'm guessing it is a federally funded project?  It doesn't seem uncommon for IDOT to let those, even if IDOT is not the lead agency and none of the roads in question are IDOT's.  Looking at the Kansas letting thread it appears like Illinois is not alone in this practice.

"Local" to most people means something different than the functional classifications FHWA has defined.  Also, road ownership can be ridiculously complicated.  And, as you point out, State DOTs can let projects for work on locally-owned facilities (the Bridge/Culvert NY program did this in certain instances).  All sorts of variables come into play.