Kaneland students go back to school on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and Kane County’s Division of Transportation is making it a little easier to get there by reopening part of Anderson Road in Elburn.

Segments of Anderson Road have been closed for important grade-separation work, but the road will be reopened from Prairie Valley Street to IL Route 38 beginning Aug. 15, 2015, KDOT officials announced today (Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015.)

Motorists should be aware that Anderson Road will remain closed south of Prairie Valley Street to the Metra Access Drive. Intermittent daily lane closures may be necessary between Prairie Valley Street and IL Route 38 to allow crews to complete the remaining construction on the new roadway.

Questions and concerns may be directed to David Boesch, chief of construction with the Division of Transportation, at 630-584-1170. Check out this link for all Kane County traffic advisories.

About the Anderson Road Project

The Anderson Road extension and grade separation is one of the big projects in the works for the Kane County Division of Transportation. According to the KDOT Transportation Improvement Plan for 2015-2019, the $16 million project provides a new north-south minor arterial that extends from IL Route 38 to Keslinger Road with a grade separation over the Union Pacific Railroad and Metra rail yard. The proposed roadway is an extension of present-day Anderson Road which originates at IL Route 64 and currently terminates just south of IL Route 38.

Almost $8 million of the project costs will be reimbursed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, and a substantial portion of the project is funded by federal, state and local agencies. Among the partners for the project are the village of Elburn, Blackberry Township, Metra and Union Pacific Railroad.

The Anderson Road extension and bridge will consist of one lane in each direction, separated by a grass median. The median will provide right of way for a possible future expansion of the roadway to two lanes in each direction if warranted.

A pedestrian/bike path is proposed on the west side of the roadway/overpass, and new traffic signals are planned at Keslinger Road and ultimately at IL Route 38.

The construction of the extension and grade separation began in 2014 and is expected to be open to traffic in late 2015/early 2016.

For Elburn residents and anyone who travels through the area, the grade separation will be a godsend, because the rail crossing can be down as much as three hours a day for the 105 trains that pass along that line. There are no existing bridge or underpasses within the village of Elburn.

The road improvement will spur economic development, reduce traffic congestion, improve travel times, provide bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and connect residents to retail, service, commercial and educational land uses.