Construction work related to utility work for a solar-powered substation in St. Charles will require lane closures on Kirk Road for about four weeks.

Beginning on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, the city of St. Charles will be closing one lane in each direction of Kirk Road (County Highway No. 77) just south of Tyler Road.

At all times, at least one lane of traffic will remain open for both northbound and southbound traffic.

Continuous lane closures are required to safely install a major conduit crossing from the west side of Kirk Road to the east side of Kirk Road. During the course of about four weeks, as construction of the underground conduit proceeds, the single-lane closure will progress from the southbound lanes to the northbound lanes.

The crossing is for electric transmission and distribution cables to a new substation being developed on the east side of Kirk Road. The city of St. Charles’ new substation, with a utility scale solar plant, will provide capacity to the increasing needs in the southeastern quadrant of the city and tie the new station and solar energy into the existing electrical grid.

The city is targeting the substation to be online for summer of 2018. Development of the solar plant at the site is progressing, with solar panels expected to be installed in July.

Kirk Road will remain open during construction, but reduced to one lane at various times for this work. Motorists should expect delays while traveling through the work areas and be prepared to reduce their speed, exercise caution, and to be extra alert. You may want to add additional time to your commute and consider the use of alternate routes while this work is completed.

Drivers must watch for construction workers, construction vehicles entering or leaving the site, and obey flaggers and other traffic control devices within the work zone. It is illegal to talk on a cell phone or text while driving through a highway construction work zone.

Questions or concerns should be directed to Tom Bruhl, city of St. Charles, at 630-377-4401.

For all Kane County traffic advisories, see KDOT Traffic Alerts.

For more information and updates on the St. Charles substation project, visit this page of the city of St. Charles website.

SOURCE: City of St. Charles and KDOT